Cora Willeke

Cora Willeke of Marengo recently graduated from Ohio Farm Bureau’s AgriPOWER Class XIV. The elite leadership program was started in 2008 to help agricultural advocates gain influence over public policy issues that impact their businesses and communities.

Willeke is an account officer at AgCredit, ACA in Mt. Gilead, delivering customer-focused financial solutions tailored to specific member-borrowers’ needs. She is a past member of the Young, Beginning, Small Farmer Committee at AgCredit. Willeke has a long list of accomplishments in agriculture, including heavy involvement in 4-H and FFA. She also won the 2022 Distinguished Senior Award as an agribusiness and applied economics student at Ohio State University.

Over the course of a year, Class XIV 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. They visited Washington, D.C. where they learned about national and global issues, and they visited diverse agricultural operations in Washington state so they could better understand the differences and similarities in agriculture from state to state.

Partnering with Ohio Farm Bureau on AgriPOWER Class XIV are Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, Ohio Soybean Council, Farm Credit Mid-America, AgCredit, Legacy Farmers Cooperative, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, Certified Angus Beef, Stark County Farm Bureau, PBS Animal Health and United Producers, Inc.

To learn more about AgriPOWER, visit ohiofarmbureau.org/agripower.

This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231 or [email protected].

Editors: A high-resolution photo of Ms. Willeke is available for download.

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To grow a network and gain perspective and knowledge in the industry through personal and professional development has been invaluable. Every day I learn and grow.
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Ryanna Tietje

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