South Dakota Soybean Stories: Tanner Hento

Tanner Hento is a fifth-generation farmer, but when he was younger, he never would have imagined it would be his future career path. Tanner's unconventional return to the farm began when attending college at the University of South Dakota (USD) to pursue a career in the medical field. It was also at USD that he took a class on emergency medical services and now continues as a practicing emergency medical technician near Avon 10 years later.

“I’m not saving lives with every shift, but if I can make an impact in just one person’s life, that’s enough satisfaction for me.”

Both of Tanner’s parents passed away unexpectedly within three months of each other. With no succession plan in place, Tanner and his brother, Scott, decided to change their career paths and make their return to the family farm.

Tanner’s passion for agriculture was revitalized, and he went through the Young Leader Program to further his knowledge and leadership skills. He continues to advocate for soybean farmers on Capitol Hill alongside the other Board Directors at South Dakota Soybean Association. Tanner is also a passionate advocate for mental health in the farming community.

For more South Dakota Soybean Stories, click here. 

For 24/7 support, call the Farm and Rural Stress Hotline at 1-800-691-4336 or the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. For more information and behavioral health support, click here.