District 1 (Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties)
Kathleen Papcke, Chair
262.742.3338
Kathy Papcke lives in Walworth County and is married to Terry Papcke who works on his family’s third generation dairy and cash crop farm. Kathy raises chickens, turkeys and has taken up beekeeping. A Farm Bureau member for over 10 years, Kathy serves as the county women's chair, the treasure on the board, a member on the dairy committee and also manages the ice cream tent at the fair.
“Being involved with your county Women's Program allows you to develop friendships in your industry, leadership skills and educational opportunities,” says Kathy. “Through Farm Bureau I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Baltimore and represent Wisconsin at the AFBF Women's Leadership Conference. It was great fun meeting other women from across the country involved in agriculture.”
District 2 (Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Rock and Sauk counties)
Jenny Dierickx
608.212.0173
Jenny Dierickx has been a Farm Bureau member for the past six years serving on the state YFA Committee and now currently on the state Women's Committee. She also serves as the Dane County Farm Bureau YFA Chair. When she's not doing Farm Bureau events, Jenny is a marketing executive at Filament Marketing, an advertising agency specializing in agri-marketing located in Madison.
“An exciting time for me since joining the state Women’s Committee has been being involved in the launch of the Wisconsin Ag Women’s Summit in 2011,” says Jenny. “We set a goal to step up our programming a notch and partnered with Badgerland Financial. This conference is designed to be a premier event for women of any age working all facets of agriculture and we hosted over 350 women last year at the Kalahari. Be sure you are one of them in 2012!”
District 3 (Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland and Vernon counties)
Nicole Adrian
608.778.7064
Nicole Adrian grew up on a dairy farm near Platteville. She currently works as a certified pharmacy technician at a local hospital in Platteville. She also assists with relief milking and chores on her parents’ farm. They milk 60 cows and raise their own young stock. She and her husband Matt have three children. Nicole is also the secretary for the Women’s Committee in Grant County and a graduate of the Institute Program.
“One of the greatest strengths in the Women’s Program is agriculture education,” says Nicole. “I enjoy talking to people about agriculture and hearing their story. It’s important for others to get involved in their county programs to learn from each other and share ideas and knowledge on important issues like agriculture education and farm safety.”
District 4 (Buffalo, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe and Trempealeau counties)
Jane Mueller
715.878.4058
Jane Mueller is a member of the Eau Claire County Farm Bureau and has previously served as its Women’s Chair. She currently serves on their Ag in the Classroom Committee. She and her late husband, Doug, have three grown children. Jane owns a 60-cow dairy operation on 240 acres, plus an additional 300 rented acres which they grow alfalfa, corn and soybeans.
“Women from farm families are often disconnected from the farm by their need to work off the farm. This creates a gap for the family and the farm community,” says Jane. “County Farm Bureaus and the Women’s Program provide the opportunity for support of our farm families and their way of life and community building to strengthen those families.”
District 5 (Adams, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Juneau, Marquette, Waushara and Winnebago counties)
Tonra Degner
608.464.3312
Tonra Degner is a retired library media specialist who taught for 34 years in Reedsburg schools. Now she substitute teaches. She and her husband, Carl, bought his family dairy farm in 1978 and raised their two sons there. They no longer have dairy cattle, but still do crop farming and custom cutting/raking/baling. They have four grandchildren who still love the farm. They have been involved in the Juneau County Farm Bureau since the late 80s. Tonra is serving as the county's Women's Committee and Ag in the Classroom chairs. Tonra loves seeing agriculture represented in multiple aspects to all ages.
“The WFBF Women's Committee is made up of those who really believe we can make a difference not only in Farm Bureau but also within the overall framework in agriculture,” Tonra says. “My favorite Farm Bureau memories are of attending the AFBF leadership conferences and meeting ladies from all over the country. I made a friend for life in Louisville in 2008 and we stayed in touch and met again in Baltimore in 2011. It's great to compare notes both on the Farm Bureau levels of involvement and also our personal lives. In fact, I've met many interesting women in Farm Bureau from all over.”
District 6 (Brown, Calumet, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties)
Rosie Lisowe
920.849.4413
Rosie and her husband Joe are co-owners in a 600-cow family dairy farm. They raise their own heifers and grow their own feed on 1,600 acres. Rosie and her husband have been active in Farm Bureau for 20 years in a number of leadership roles. Most recently, Rosie has served as the Calumet County Women’s Chair and for six years she has served on the state Women’s Committee. For the past three years, Rosie has had the honor of serving as chair of the state Women’s Committee. Off the farm, Rosie is a certified CNA and cosmetologist.
“The Farm Bureau Women’s Program is a great avenue to step up and be involved,” says Rosie, "The opportunities are endless. Women are the glue that holds things together. They are critical to Farm Bureau because farm women carry a lot of power, more than we give ourselves credit for. We need to keep telling our story and be the best agricultural advocates that we can be.”
District 7 (Langlade, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano and Waupaca counties)
Victoria Harter
920.846.2046
Victoria Harter is from Oconto County in northeastern Wisconsin. She is a retired agribusiness instructor who taught students from middle school to technical college. She believes strongly in ag education. This is shown by her past and current involvement in Ag in the Classroom, WFBF, FFA, FFA Alumni and 4-H. She and her husband, Ken, have a daughter Rebecca and two grandchildren. She enjoys travel, reading and crafting.
"Women have always had a strong belief and passion for agriculture. They have helped shape and mold the path of agriculture throughout history and will continue to have and be a strong voice for agriculture. The WFBF Women’s Committees are an opportunity for Wisconsin women to have a voice in the future of modern agriculture and offer learning and leadership opportunities to those who realize the importance and impact of their role in modern agriculture."
District 8 (Clark, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Price, Taylor and Wood counties)
Angie Baumann
715.297.1836
Angie Baumann and her husband, Andy, currently farm 500 acres with Andy’s parents on a 60-cow dairy and crop operation near Edgar. They have two children, a son, Briggs, and a daughter, Bristal. Angie has an elementary education degree from Edgewood College and is currently a stay-at-home mom. She is the children's director at their church. She is also on the Marathon County Farm Bureau board and serves as the Women’s and Ag in the Classroom committee chairs for the county.
“The Farm Bureau Women’s Program is a good way to connect with other women who understand who you are and what challenges you face as a woman in agriculture,” Angie says. “It provides good networking and an opportunity to promote the industry we all love. I have so many fond Farm Bureau memories, it is hard to pick just one, but I’ve been involved in Farm Bureau ever since I was a little girl. Had it not been for Farm Bureau I would not have met my husband.”
District 9 (Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer and Superior Shores counties)
Mary Prestrud
715.455.1495
Mary Prestrud has been married to her husband, Marv, for 40 years. They have 5 adult children and 14 grandchildren. Her oldest son, Chad, and Marv are in Prestrud Dairy LLC partnership, a century farm located in northern Dunn County. Mary helps with the calves, farm books, runs errands and takes care of grandchildren. She enjoys quilting, reading and spending time with family and friends. Mary has been involved with Farm Bureau for over 10 years and has enjoyed working with the Ag in the Classroom program and helping at the county Farm Bureau food stand.
“The strengths on the Women’s Committee state board are the women themselves who are working together right now,” Mary says. “We thrive from each other and we make a great team. As our mission statement states ‘we are to lead the farm and rural community through legislative representation, education, public relations and leadership development’ and our committee is doing just that.”