Ten Farm Bureau members have embarked upon a year-long training program as part of the Leadership Farm Bureau Class of 2016. The class members were formally introduced during the annual California Farm Bureau Federation Leaders Conference in Sacramento.
Sponsored by CFBF, the Leadership Farm Bureau program includes intensive leadership training with a focus on issues affecting California farmers and ranchers. Class members participate in personal-development, teambuilding and communications training, and advocate on behalf of Farm Bureau in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The group will also conduct field studies tours in Northern California and Southern California, to concentrate on issues facing fellow farmers and ranchers in those regions.
Members of the Leadership Farm Bureau Class of 2016 include:
- Daniel Bays of Patterson, who grows a variety of permanent and row crops, serves on the CFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee, and is active with a number of other organizations;
- Janet Burback of Morgan Hill, a cattle rancher, local fire commissioner and first vice president of the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau;
- Caitie Campodonico, program director for the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau and grower relations representative for the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition;
- Shaun Crook of Sonora, a licensed timber operator, real estate broker and president of the Tuolumne County Farm Bureau;
- Jessica DeCoito, membership coordinator for the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau and the Butte-Yuba-Sutter Water Quality Coalition;
- Mindy DeRohan, manager of educational programs for the Sacramento-based California Association of Pest Control Advisers;
- Dusty Ference, executive director of the Kings County Farm Bureau;
- Lisa Humphreys, manager of the Glenn County Farm Bureau;
- Matt Watkins of Visalia, director of farming operations for a citrus grower-shipper and a director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau;
- Johnnie White of St. Helena, operations manager for a vineyard-management company, a director of the Napa County Farm Bureau and first vice chair of the YF&R State Committee.
The Leadership Farm Bureau class will finish its program of activities in December, with graduation during the CFBF Annual Meeting in Monterey. For further information about the program, see www.cfbf.com/lfb.