Participating in AgriPOWER has been a wonderful experience for me. It has given me the opportunity to build on my ag background even more. The seven sessions focused on so much more than just local, state and federal government. This has given me so much more confidence in myself. Never would I have thought about speaking up in front of people I didn’t know before this class.

My favorite session was Georgia. Hearing all of the different ways that they farm to harvest peanuts, peaches, cotton and onions was amazing to me! The Georgia Port Authority was quite the learning experience as well. If you are ever given the opportunity to participate in an AgriPOWER class, I would definitely take advantage of it if you are able to make the time commitment. The learning experiences that you will get out of this has been a wonderful experience. I knew that I would learn things that I didn’t know, but this has been so much more than just learning. From Columbus, Washington, D.C., Wilmington, Findlay, and to Georgia we have covered many farms, plus etiquette, personalities, public speaking, Ohio Department of Agriculture, and that is not even everything.

This has been an adventure that I would definitely participate in again. Now it’s time for graduation and it’s bittersweet. Class VIII has been great and its almost as if we have formed a little family. I have made so many great contacts, but more importantly I have made friends that I know I could call or message at any time. It has been a lot of fun!

Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
Mandy Way's avatar
Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
Ernie Welch's avatar
Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong communities
I see the value and need to be engaged in the community I live in, to be a part of the decision-making process and to volunteer with organizations that help make our community better.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
Jaclyn De Candio's avatar
Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
Jenna Gregorich's avatar
Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
Jared Hughes's avatar
Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
If it wasn't for Farm Bureau, I personally, along with many others, would not have had the opportunity to meet with our representatives face to face in Washington.
Austin Heil's avatar
Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Mary Smallsreed's avatar
Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
Suggested Tags: