Farm Bureau’s YF&R program trains and equips young agriculturalists to educate policymakers
The Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee empowers young agriculturalists in a wide range of ag-related occupations. By fostering a passion for farming, encouraging advocacy and developing future leaders, the program ensures agriculture remains a vital way of life for generations to come.
The past chair of the California Farm Bureau’s YF&R committee fits that description to a T.
“Agriculture has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Leah Groves, 30, who grew up in Trinity County. “My family owns a winery and vineyard here. I went to school at Shasta College and Fresno State and then lived in the Central Valley as a vineyard manager at Fresno State but recently moved back home to help my dad with the family business and to work for a nonprofit that helps ag businesses.”
She said her involvement with the YF&R program for the past decade has played a key role in shaping her commitment to agriculture and the Farm Bureau.
“From early on, I appreciated the Farm Bureau and what it does. I gained a passion for the family atmosphere I felt and to understand that membership is for every farmer and every family in every rural community,” she said.
Farm Credit is a leading sponsor of the Farm Bureau’s annual meeting – held most recently in Monterey – and the YF&R’s annual leadership conference because of their critical role in advocating for agriculture and developing the next generation of leadership, said Kevin Ralph, California President of AgWest Farm Credit.
“December 2024 marked the Farm Bureau’s 106th Annual Meeting and YF&R State Conference, and throughout their history they have proven to be effective advocates, educating state and local officials about the importance of agriculture and the need to support farming and ranching,” Ralph said. “This year’s theme of Stronger Together was a great reminder of the need for everyone involved in agriculture to stand together to make sure our voices are heard.”
Jacob DeBoer, Regional Marketing Manager, American AgCredit, said YF&R’s role of building leaders for tomorrow is important as well.
“The Farm Bureau wouldn’t have thrived for over a century without strong and effective leadership. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that the next generation of farmers and ranchers are trained and equipped to ensure the organization’s continued success as the challenges farmers face grow ever more difficult,” DeBoer said.
He has personal experience, having attended state YF&R Annual Meetings in the past and currently serving as a director of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau.
Farm Credit organizations supporting conferences are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, CoBank. Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.
Groves said sponsorships such as Farm Credit’s are critical to putting on informative conferences to help younger generations of farmers and ranchers stay informed and educated.
“Sponsorships are essential for hosting quality conferences,” Groves explained. “They provide not only financial support but also lasting connections that help young farmers succeed.” (Besides financial support, several Farm Credit employees participated in presenting workshops such as how younger agriculturalists could fund their farms and ranches – and others participated in the Leadership Farm Bureau program.)
YF&R offers its 18-to-35-year-old members invaluable opportunities, Groves said. These include leadership training, networking with like-minded peers, and learning to navigate the complex issues impacting agriculture.
“The connections I have made have created long-lasting friendships with like-minded individuals. We understand each other’s struggles and are able to work together for the greater good of agriculture,” she said.
A major annual event is the Discussion Meet held every year at the state conference.
“The Discussion Meet simulates a collaborative boardroom discussion,” Groves explained. It’s not about debating but working together to find practical solutions to agricultural challenges. There are five questions to study ahead of time, and then four or five people are placed in panels to discuss the topic and try to find solutions,” she said.
Questions in 2024 included how to diversify farm portfolios, ways for young farmers and ranchers to acquire agricultural land and how the Farm Bureau should work to increase domestic energy production while minimizing the loss of ag land and protecting private property rights.
Groves is a great example of the diverse nature of California agriculture. Her father, Keith, established the first vineyard in rugged Trinity County in 1981 on a former cattle ranch that had been in the family since the Gold Rush. That came after he did a feasibility study on whether wine grapes would grow in the mountains while studying for a winemaking degree at Fresno State.
“The assumption was that wine grapes couldn’t be grown there but the study indicated that they could be, and he planted two acres in 1981 and established the county’s first winery in 1984. Alpen Cellars has grown from producing 75 cases in the beginning to 5,000 today,” she said.
In fact, the combination of the high altitude and a favorable microclimate 30 miles northwest of Redding proved to be ideal conditions for growing grapes including white Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir.
While involved in the farm’s operations, she’s also committed to helping support young farmers in rural and isolated areas of far northern California.
“It’s very challenging in our area to have a farming lifestyle. We’re so remote from everything that we don’t have access to transportation and a lot of the resources people in the valleys might have,” she said. “We need to find ways to get creative and find other income sources. The question is, how do you do that to support young farmers in these communities?”
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About Farm Credit:
AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, CoBank, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit, and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com
About the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee:
The Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee is a program for agriculturalists between the ages of 18 and 35 involved in production, banking, business, and many other areas of the industry. YF&R provides opportunities to develop leadership skills through involvement in Farm Bureau at the county, state, and national levels. YF&R members are a vital part of the organization. Each member’s efforts help California Farm Bureau to effectively represent the diversity of farmers and ranchers across the state. For more information, visit https://www.cfbf.com/ag-programs/young-farmers-ranchers