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Kelsey Bezdek of Leroy recently graduated from Ohio Farm Bureau’s AgriPOWER Class XV. The elite leadership program was started in 2008 to help agricultural advocates gain influence over public policy issues that impact their businesses and communities.
Bezdek and her family have a 17-acre farm where they are first-generation ranchers and have horses, show and feeder steers and pigs, goats and chickens. When she is not on the farm, Bezdek manages two rural sales offices for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and is a licensed and practicing realtor. She serves as vice president for the Lake County Farm Bureau and hopes to use her involvement to bring more awareness about agriculture to area consumers and get the youth of her community more involved in agriculture.
Over the course of a year, Class XV participants learned from experts on how to become better leaders and advocates for the agricultural industry, including spokesperson and media training, social networking and communications. They learned about public policy matters important to their local communities, as well as the state, nation and world. The group visited Washington, D.C., where they learned about national and global issues, and they visited diverse agricultural operations in California to better understand the differences and similarities in agriculture from state to state.
Partnering with Ohio Farm Bureau on AgriPOWER Class XV are the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, Ohio Soybean Council, Certified Angus Beef, The Chef’s Garden, Farm Credit Mid-America, Healthy Harvest Organics, Hummel Group Insurance, Lake County Farm Bureau, Lorain County Farm Bureau, Ohio Forestry Association, Anthony Savage, StoneX Group Inc., Truckor Family Farm, Wood County Farm Bureau, and Wright & Moore.
To learn more about AgriPOWER, visit ohiofarmbureau.org/agripower.
This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ryan Matthews, 614-246-8210 or [email protected].
Editors: A high-resolution photo of Ms. Bezdek is available for download.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
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.
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