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Shelby County’s Spotlight Member is board member, and communications chair Raci Zimpfer of Anna. Raci and her husband, Tim, joined his family farm, Zimpfer Farms, LLC, 15 years ago. The family raises corn, soybeans and wheat in Shelby County, Ohio.  She also is a self-employed Marketing Consultant providing graphic design, website development and social media marketing for area businesses.

Raci became involved with the Shelby County Farm Bureau when she was asked to join a committee that would use her communication skills for the board’s marketing efforts and soon after, she was asked to join the Farm Bureau board. During her time with Farm Bureau, she has worked on many projects like last year’s Farm to Table Dinner, safety projects, and membership.

Raci believes that volunteering and giving back to the community are important. She has found that in Farm Bureau. “I think it is important for farmers and families to share what they do and why they do it. Farm Bureau is a great way to network and interact with other farmers. Learning and sharing with others is one of the greatest forms of growing and advancing.”

Raci thinks the agriculture industry will face the ever-increasing motto of “Doing More, with Less” in the future.  With the rising costs, fewer returns, fewer acres, and increased risk, farmers are faced with some decisions in the future. Raci said, “In 20 years there will be a great deal of turnover in land and operations. Farmers will age out of the operation, increasing land sales. There will continue to be more innovations to make operations run more efficiently.”

As a woman in agriculture, she said, “Like our counterparts, we juggle many hats, work long hours and have a love for our families and the land that we raise them on.” Raci enjoys farming for many reasons. “Farming is both something we have grown up with and couldn’t imagine not doing. We enjoy working on the land and sharing that with our children.”

Thank you for all your time, Raci!