Taylor County Farm Bureau member Rob Klussendorf was awarded the highest award Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation bestows upon its members, the Distinguished Service to Farm Bureau award. Rob has been involved with Farm Bureau for over 56 years.
Rob said his involvement with Farm Bureau began because he was, “Volunteered, told, to go to the District 1 Young Farmers Meeting.”
Rob shared how once he arrived at the meeting Dan Armitage, former WFBF Director of Special Programs, said, “If you don’t like what’s going on and you don’t do anything about it, don’t complain.”
Rob used this statement as motivation to become involved with Farm Bureau and even change and bring new programs to Farm Bureau.
One program that Rob helped create was the Farmer in the Classroom program, which Wisconsin Farm Bureau later adopted to become today’s statewide Agriculture in the Classroom program.
“I started out with Ag in the Classroom because my mother was a teacher and a lot of my schoolmates were teachers,” said Rob.
Rob made it his goal to get into classrooms to promote and teach about agriculture. However, later down his path, he found himself interested in the political side of agriculture. Rob was involved in numerous Farm Bureau opportunities that helped him and affected him personally.
When asked how to get involved Rob said, “There are many ways you can get involved in Farm Bureau… it depends on your strengths and what you like to do.”
Rob reflected on his many years as a Farm Bureau member and his involvement, but if there is one word he would use to describe Farm Bureau, he would choose family.
“Everyone you meet is extended family… you learn something every day by talking to them,” said Rob.
Rob has met many people within Farm Bureau all throughout the different stages of his life. Congratulations to Rob on his dedication to the Farm Bureau and his recognition as the Distinguished Service to Farm Bureau award winner.
Breanna Cisketti is a student at UW-Platteville studying agribusiness with an emphasis in communications and marketing. Breanna served as one of WFBF’s Event Ambassadors during the 2023 WFBF Annual Meeting.
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