Gretchen Kamps of Belmont has been named the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator and Director of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation.
Since joining the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation in 2012, Kamps has worked as a district coordinator for WFBF’s District 3 in southwest Wisconsin.
In her new role, Kamps will oversee the Ag in the Classroom program, which provides Wisconsin teachers, volunteers and students with tools about how food travels from the farm to the fork. She will work with local Ag in the Classroom coordinators and educators.
Kamps also will lead the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation, which provides financial support to Ag in the Classroom, Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program, Women’s Program for Education and Leadership, Leadership Institute course, collegiate Farm Bureaus, FFA and 4-H.
“Gretchen has a strong background in education, agriculture and volunteer training and her excellent communication and networking skills make her a great choice to lead Ag in the Classroom and oversee our Foundation’s activities,” said Bob Leege, Executive Director of Member Relations.
Kamps grew up on a farm near Clinton in Rock County earned a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education from UW-Platteville and a master of education degree in educational leadership from National Louis University in Illinois.
She served as an agriculture instructor at Lake Geneva Badger High School and as an adjunct instructor at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and as a research coordinator at the UW-Platteville Pioneer Farm.
Kamps is a member of the Lafayette County Farm Bureau and she and husband, Josh, operate a beef farm with his family near Belmont.
“I am excited to find ways to help our volunteers get into more classrooms, build relationships with K-12 teachers and develop additional resources for volunteers to use at dairy breakfasts, county fairs and other local events,” Kamps said.
Kamps’ new job responsibilities will start October 19. The search for Kamps’ replacement to develop programs and coordinate membership efforts for Farm Bureau members is underway in District 3, which includes the counties of, Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland and Vernon.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization and is made up of 61 county Farm Bureaus. WFBF represents farms of every size, commodity and management style.
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