Gerald Adolph Lacey was born May 25, 1931 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He graduated in 1949 from Elbow Lake High School, where he enjoyed playing football. Gerald loved to fly, earning his pilot’s license at age 19, and was a spray pilot for 35 years. On January 9, 1954, Gerald married Clarice Adams and the couple made their way to Ft. Knox, Kentucky where Gerald served the remainder of his duties with the Army. Gerald and Clarice then returned to Minnesota, to raise their family, and farm near Campbell, Minnesota. They had five children; Laurie, Becky, Andrea, Rachel, and Brian. Gerald enjoyed fishing and spending time with his family. He was very active in his community and in numerous state and national organizations. Gerald was known as a great champion for the farmers of Minnesota and the United States and served on the Minnesota Farm Service Agency Board of Directors, US Grains Council Board of Directors, President of the National Barley Growers Association and President of the Minnesota Barley Growers Association. He made numerous trade trips with the US Grains Council to promote barley exports, traveling to China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, and Mexico and made many trips to Canada and Washington, DC to promote the views of barley growers. Lacey’s leadership and dedication has resulted in numerous benefits to US farmers and the industries that serve them. He contributed to efforts that resulted in increased barley deficiency payments in the 1990 farm bill, and represented barley growers interests in trade negotiations and conservation issues. Gerald was a tireless advocate for barley research funding, helping to initiate and secure federal funding for the National Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative and obtain substantial funding from the Minnesota Legislature for scab research. He often joined the National Barley Improvement Committee in its annual lobbying trip to Washington DC to advocate for federal funding of barley research. Gerald passed away suddenly on Friday, August 28, 1998, while returning from a Minnesota agriculture hearing in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.