San Luis Obispo young-farmers group earns statewide honor

» April 23, 2007 «

Active work in educational, community and political outreach has brought statewide recognition for young farmers and ranchers in San Luis Obispo County. The San Luis Obispo Young Farmers and Ranchers organization has been named Committee of the Year by the California Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers program.

Membership in the San Luis Obispo YF&R program has more than doubled during the past year, and the committee has become increasingly prominent in the community. Leaders say young farmers and ranchers emphasize efforts to bridge the gap between rural and urban populations.

With that goal, the San Luis Obispo YF&R committee distributed pumpkin seeds at local farmers' markets, educating consumers about agriculture and encouraging them to participate in a successful Great Pumpkin Contest. The group promoted Food Check-Out Week activities to promote the affordability of locally grown foods and organized a successful Bounty of the County fund-raising dinner and auction. Young farmers and ranchers also spoke about land-use issues before the county board of supervisors and assisted with a variety of farm tours and educational activities.

"Young farmers and ranchers represent the future, both for our organization and for family farming in our state," California Farm Bureau President Doug Mosebar said. "The San Luis Obispo YF&R committee shows what can be done when an organization harnesses the energy that young people bring to everything they do."

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 92,000 members. The Young Farmers and Ranchers program encourages members aged 18 to 35 to be active leaders in agriculture.

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.