Lakota Farm Service has a history made up of some of the early insurance, real estate and farm management agencies which operated during the early days of Lakota. Our records show that present business and the name of Lakota Farm Service has had continuity since May, 1945 when Z.D. Cutter bough the Hughes Agency from Edwin Hughes. That agency consisted mainly of real estate and farm management. The agency also handled insurance. Cutter changed the name to Lakota Farm Service in 1946. He handled real estate, farm management, insurance, Van Packer Chimneys, and also added income tax service. It was reported that our present Honorable Mayor Kenneth Hulstrand assisted him one season in preparing tax returns. Mrs. Ann Cutter and Chester Haug also assisted in this business. This business office was located in the old bank building- owned by L.A. Stefonowicz- who was editor of the Lakota American.
Lakota Farm Service Insurance was sold to James Orchard in June, 1950. He maintained the same type of business and was located in the same office. He was assisted by his son, Howard, who did much of the tax work. William T. Conroy acted as secretary along with Orchard's wife, Celia. This business was sold to R. E. Busche in October of 1957. He had been Vocational Agriculture Instructor at Lakota High School from 1947 to 1957. R. E. Busche continued the business as purchased from James Orchard. He also maintained the same office until 1969 when he purchased and remodeled the post office building and moved to the new location. William T. Conroy was retained as part-time secretary. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation appointed R. E. Busche as agent in 1958. Raydene Winnegge became an additional secretary to assist in Federal Crop Insurance and tax work in 1958. Several local insurance agencies were purchased in the late 1950's which included the Johnson Agency, Gaymon Insurance Agency of Lakota, Swanson Insurance Agency of Lawton, and the Conlon Insurance Agency of Crary.
During the years, the business grew and many people assisted in its growth. Raydene Winnegge continued wit the agency until 1966. Mary Ann Balek was full-time secretary during the early 1960's. Clayton Nelson was also part of the office force during the early 1960's. Irene Broe became the full-time secretary in May 1966 and worked until her retirement in July 1988. R. E. Busche was also assisted by his wife, Joy, during this period serving as part-time receptionist. Maxine Holm became a part of Lakota Farm Service in 1971. Randy Schaley of Petersburg, ND joined the agency in May of 1978, specializing in the crop insurance field. He also farms in the Petersburg area. Since June 1979, Sharon Schmidt also joined the agency as an assistant.
As the business grew, Lakota Farm Service developed three distinct departments: Real Estate and Management, and Tax Service. The tax service was a subsidiary of Lakota Farm Service, Inc. Partners in the business included George Moilanen, who was the owner of the Bis-Man Ford Tractor, Inc. of Mandan; and Kenneth Olson, who worked for the Trust Department of First National Bank in Grand Forks. The tax service business, purchased by Allan Orwick in 1984 continues this service under the name of LFS Professional Services, Inc. In November 1985, Lakota Farm Service, Inc. purchased the Milo Elgin Agency of Michigan, ND. On June 1, 1988, Ed Uriell purchased Lakota Farm Service. Uriell, a native of Lakota and his wife, Denise have 4 children. Denise joined the agency in 1998 as a licensed agent in all lines. They continue to represent all lines of insurance with several old line companies under the name Lakota Farm Services, Inc.