Most farm kids are born and raised on the family farm, but that wasn’t quite the case for Josh Gerbitz. Shortly after he was born, his family sold their dairy cows. Josh’s parents still wanted him to stay involved in agriculture, so they signed him up for the local 4-H club where he found his love for agriculture and started showing dairy cattle at the county fair.
As he got older, Josh found a job working on a dairy farm. His interest for the dairy industry continued to develop all throughout high school and beyond.
Josh later decided to attend UW-Madison where he studied dairy science. He became active on campus through working on the campus farm and joined the UW-Madison Collegiate Farm Bur eau. He was inspired to join through his sisters’ positive experiences in the organization and saw the networking opportunities available.
To get career experience, Josh interned with a 4000-cow dairy farm near Green Bay, which was a very different experience versus the smaller farms he had worked on before.
“I loved it,” said Josh. “I even learned how to speak Spanish and learned more about the culture of the other workers.”
After college, Josh started his career with Alta Genetics and has been there ever since. He is currently a Dairy Business Manager and covers the eastern Wisconsin territory.
When asked why he joined Farm Bureau, Josh said, “For me, it was like a family thing. I saw the positive influence it had on my dad and his career and knew I wanted to get involved. It was also good chance to meet new people, too.”
Some of Josh’s favorite Farm Bureau experiences have been the trip to Texas with UW-Madison Collegiate Farm Bureau and the Collegiate Discussion Meet contest.
“I learned how to present ideas and how to present myself in the discussion meet,” he said.
In 2022, Josh was nominated for the 35 Under 35 Award.
“I really enjoyed the application process,” said Josh. “I talked about all the ways I get to help farmers through my job at Alta Genetics and thought about all the things farmers already do to impact sustainability.”
Josh enjoyed meeting other finalists at the WFBF Annual Meeting and YFA Conference and learning more about their agricultural backgrounds. His sustainability efforts were well rewarded when he was recognized as the top individual in the Sustainable Service category for the 35 Under 35 Award.
Josh brings many experiences to the Farm Bureau family. He is passionate about the dairy industry and uses his knowledge to benefit his clients, friends, family and other Wisconsin agriculturists.
When asked why he’s Farm Bureau proud, Josh concludes, “I’m proud of Farm Bureau initiatives that are constantly moving forward topics that are facing agriculture. I also enjoy the policy development and networking opportunities that this organization provides.”
Watch Josh’s application video to learn more about his efforts in Sustainable Service.
Heidi Strey is Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Communications Intern. She is currently attending the University of Wisconsin River Falls and is involved in her family’s beef farm near Osseo.
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