Drexel Atkisson grew up on a beef farm in Southwest Missouri, which provided him with a strong foundation in agriculture. After receiving a degree in agronomy from Missouri State University, he started a career in conservation with the Natural Resource Conservation Service. He and his wife have raised five children on their farm. Their cattle operation has continued to grow and has provided an excellent opportunity to put into practice many of the conservation concepts encouraged by the NRCS.
During his 30-year career with NRCS, Drexel has enjoyed helping people make good conservation decisions for their farms. As a soil health specialist, he educates others about soil health and helps them adopt sound conservation practices that address soil health principles. Drexel has a deep passion for soil health, sustainability, and working land regeneration. He believes soil health improvement is the path to preserving the way of life he grew up in.