Dave Junge, a Cedar Rapids, IA farmer and engineer who revolutionized fertilizer blending by creating the first computerized facility in 1979, passed away on May 21 from pancreatic cancer.
Over a 30-plus-year career in agriculture, Junge focused on building state-of-the-art equipment and systems that he continuously improved and automated as processing power and software gained capacity. The company he founded, Junge Control, also created and perfected equipment for measuring crop protection and seed products. He sold the company to Ag Growth International in March of 2018.
“We remember Dave not just for the innovation and improvements that he brought to our industry, but for his optimism, his great smile and laugh, and his passion for agriculture,” said Jean Payne, President of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.
Dave is survived by his wife of 41 years, Mary; his son, Matthew; his mother, Marilyn Junge; and his sister, Diane Kelley, all of Cedar Rapids.
