Program hones agriculture leadership skills

» December 5, 2005 «

"Leadership with Passion and Integrity" was the focus for a dozen men and women who graduated today from the Leadership Farm Bureau program conducted by the California Farm Bureau Federation. Members of the 2005 class participated in a yearlong series of training sessions and tours, which culminated with a graduation program at the Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Monterey.

The Leadership Farm Bureau members honed their public-speaking, media-relations and team-building skills in classroom sessions, then put those skills to use by visiting members of the state Legislature and Congress during trips to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The group also toured Central Valley water facilities and visited farms, packinghouses and inspection facilities along the U.S./Mexico border.

The 2005 Leadership Farm Bureau class included Julie Austin, El Dorado County; Sean Barajas, Kings County; Mike Boitano, Amador County; Bob Brennan, Tuolumne County; Kevin Chiesa, Stanislaus County; Katrina Curti, Tulare County; Mitch Etchebarne, Stanislaus County; Anna Hoes, Yolo County; Melodie Johnson, Colusa County; Lowell "Mac" Keely, Monterey County; Ted Reimers, Stanislaus County; and Bastiann "B.J." Van Dam, San Bernardino County.

Leaders trained through Leadership Farm Bureau are members of a county Farm Bureau who derive their primary livelihood from agriculture. Participants agree to 100-percent attendance and to complete reports and evaluations of program activities.

Members of the 2005 class were the sixth group of leaders to complete the program since Leadership Farm Bureau began in 2000.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 88,000 members statewide.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.