WV Farm Bureau Magazine August 2013 | Page 16

Young Farmer and Rancher Update Susan Wilkins, YF&R Vice-chair As I was about to take off on another Farm Bureau trip (this time to Daytona Beach), a co-worker said “How the heck do you end up on these trips?” I laughed and tried to explain that I was attending a leadership conference and was a presenter there, but she didn’t understand what the Farm Bureau had to do with leadership and conferences and traveling. “Don’t farmers need to be feeding their cows? Why do they have meetings at the beach?” And when I started talking about grassroots policy development she really got confused. It reinforced what I’ve told people before, that in order to be good recruiters for Farm Bureau and American agriculture, we all need to be ready to explain what the purpose of the Farm Bureau is and why membership in this organization is a good thing. For our non-farmer members, the membership advantages and discounts on everything from hotels to prescription meds to vehicles are incentives to join the Farm Bureau family; but these perks take a back seat to the farmer members for whom this organization really exists. As farmers, Farm Bureau gives us a united voice with our legislators in Washington, DC and our state capitols across the country. Farm Bureau is fighting for us when we can’t be there. And for me, personally, Farm Bureau has opened doors that I never imagined existed. When I was in high school, all I could think about was moving away from my family’s farm. I loved the farm and I loved agriculture and I was a devoted member of the FFA, but I didn’t see any future for me on the farm. I wasn’t particularly excited when my cousin dragged me along to a state Farm Bureau annual meeting one fall when I was a sophomore in college; but that weekend marked a change in direction for me. I eventually found that I was pretty passionate about this farming way of life and equally passionate about being an 16 West Virginia Farm Bureau News advocate for the industry. Farm Bureau has helped me develop the skills and the confidence to share my story with everyone from my legislators in Washington, DC, to strangers in a foreign country, to equally devoted young farmers around the nation. Farm Bureau has helped me realize that there is a future for me on my family’s farm. I am fortunate to have always had an extremely supportive family in whatever choices I’ve made, but the choice I made to live in Pocahontas County and be a part of the farm on a daily basis has perhaps found the most support of all. That’s what Farm Bureau has done for me. And that’s why I am proud to be a Farm Bureau member. Why are you proud? McCormick T-MAX, versatility where you need it most T-MAX Tractor - 83 - 110 HP Engine The T-MAX was designed with flexibility in mind. Ranging from 83 to 110 horsepower, the T-MAX has the power and flexibility to adapt to numerous tasks on the farm, such as light tillage, haying and loader work with a choice of three transmission options. we have a tractor for that Schrock Farm Equipment 211 Wes White Rd. Oakland, MD 21550