Eight Compete for WFBF’s Farming for the Future and Outstanding Ag Professional Awards
The finalists for Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Agriculturist Farming for the Future Award and Outstanding Ag Professional Award have been named.
Four finalists will vie for the Farming for the Future Award this December. The Farming for the Future Award recognizes YFA members who excel in their farm involvement, future goals, leadership abilities and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. Applicants must derive a majority of their income from on-farm production.
“This year’s finalists are some of the best and brightest young farmers in Wisconsin,” said WFBF President Kevin Krentz.
This year’s finalists include:
- Jacob and Eliza Bobolz, Rock County
- Sydney Flick, Columbia County
- Brad Laack, Sheboygan County
- Victoria Wachholz, Marquette County
Four individuals have also been selected as Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Agriculture Professional Award finalists and will compete in December for the top honor.
The Outstanding Ag Professional Award recognizes members of Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program who excel in their leadership abilities, agriculture involvement, and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic and service organizations. Applicants are agriculturists who have not derived a majority of their income from a farm (that they own) in the past three years.
“We have four outstanding agricultural advocates in this year’s state competition,” said Krentz. “This contest highlights how these individuals have positively impacted Wisconsin agriculture and Farm Bureau while inspiring others to do the same.”
The four finalists are:
- Kaitlyn Riley of Crawford County. Kaitlyn is the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Wisconsin Beef Council.
- Julie Sweney of Dodge County. Julie is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium.
- Brooke Trustem of Rock County. Brooke is the Marketing & Events Coordinator at BouMatic.
- Tammy Wiedenbeck of Grant County. Tammy is the Senior Brand Manager for Hilbert Communications, Bug Tussel Wireless and AT&T Subsidiaries.
Each finalist will conduct an interview with judges at the 2023 WFBF Annual Meeting and YFA Conference at Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, December 1-3. The winner of each award will receive $1,500 courtesy of GROWMARK, Inc., the opportunity to attend the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Conference in Omaha, NE., will be eligible to participate in the 2025 YFA Washington, D.C. Fly-In and be a guest of WFBF at the 2024 YFA Conference. The total value of the prize package is more than $5,000.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation co-sponsors these awards with GROWMARK Inc. and Rural Mutual Insurance Company.
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