Ten Farm Bureau members from California have begun intensive training on agricultural issues and leadership methods through the Leadership Farm Bureau program. The Class of 2019 was formally introduced last week during the annual California Farm Bureau Federation Leaders Conference in Sacramento.
During the year, the class members will benefit from more than 250 hours of instruction during seven sessions that focus on agricultural issues, governmental policy and personal development. Participants will advocate on behalf of Farm Bureau in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., take field-studies trips in Northern California and out of state, and will emerge from the program with enhanced background in communication, teambuilding, advocacy and the Farm Bureau organization.
The LFB Class of 2019 includes:
- Jocelyn Anderson of Willows, who works on the family farm growing almonds, walnuts, alfalfa and corn, and who serves on the Glenn County Farm Bureau board and the Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee;
- Shane Bickner of Lemoore, crop manager for Woolf Enterprises who grows pistachios, winegrapes and cotton, and serves on the Kings County Farm Bureau board of directors;
- Lance Clothier of Wilton, a hay grower who serves as first vice president of the Sacramento County Farm Bureau;
- Cody Dodson of Tulelake, who farms his own property, custom-farms for others and serves on the Modoc County Farm Bureau board of directors;
- Alana Fowler of Penn Valley, a Nevada County Farm Bureau member who with her husband owns a contract-grazing business and a pasture-raised meat business;
- Anna Genasci of Oakdale, assistant director of AgSafe and a member of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau board of directors;
- Brian Greathouse of Sutter, who grows walnuts and raises cattle, works as grower service manager for Sacramento Valley Walnut Growers and serves on the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau board of directors;
- Amber McDowell of Walnut Grove, whose family farms pears and alfalfa and runs a pheasant-hunting preserve, and who works as program assistant for the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation;
- Brian Medeiros of Hanford, who operates a diversified farming operation and serves as vice president of the Kings County Farm Bureau;
- Ian Vietti of Visalia, staff agronomist for Innovative Ag Services and past chair of the Tulare County Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.
The 2019 Leadership Farm Bureau class will graduate in December during the 101st CFBF Annual Meeting in Monterey. For further information about the program, see www.cfbf.com/leadership-farm-bureau.