From Left: Christine Johnson, Katie Verhoef, Timothy Collins and Kelley Higgins at the California YF&R State Conference in Reno, Nevada accepting the Committee of the Year award on behalf of the 2023 Kern YF&R executive team. (Photo courtesy of Christine Johnson/Kern County YF&R)

By Christine Johnson, Chair, Kern County Young Farmers & Ranchers 

Greetings and Happy New Year! I am honored to have been elected as the 2024 Kern County Young Farmers & Ranchers Chair. My hope is to bring you a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of appreciation for young professionals in agriculture. Be encouraged that there are some very bright, hardworking young folks in our community who are on the verge of exciting careers in agriculture.  

First, a big thank you goes out to Tim Collins, past Chair, who led the club for two years. Tim provided a steady, reliable presence as our group navigated the post-Covid era. A longtime friend, Tim, was my connection to the club several years ago. I first heard about YF&R through reading the Valley Ag Voice articles for several months before following the group on social media. Soon, I recognized a few familiar faces on social media posts, so I reached out to Tim to find out more. The club’s mission to promote agriculture and develop young professionals stood out to me, so I jumped right into the monthly meetings and volunteer opportunities.  

Second, I would especially like to thank the Farm Bureau directors for their invaluable support of YF&R. Our club has benefitted from the generosity, hospitality, and encouragement of many of the board members and directors. Kern YF&R certainly prides itself on our positive relationship with our local Farm Bureau. We are so grateful! 

The Kern County YF&R chapter would not exist without the help of a stellar group of leaders. Most of these folks have been on the executive team in prior years, so rest assured that behind the scenes, they will be working toward putting together some wonderful activities. Let me introduce you to the 2024 Executive Team: Katelyn Filkins, Vice Chair; Russell Todd, Secretary; Kelley Higgins, Treasurer; Christine Etcheverry, Farmers Market Chair; Cory Camp, Clay Shoot Chair; Matt Pandol III, Clay Shoot Co-Chair; Tim Collins, Social Media Coordinator, and past Chair.  

In December, I had the opportunity to attend the California YF&R State Conference in Reno, Nevada, along with three other club members. The event was held several days prior to the California Farm Bureau conference, which was a wonderful way to combine resources and overlap networking opportunities. It was a beautiful, chilly weekend, but we had a full schedule of meetings, workshops, and tours. We heard from State Assemblyman James Gallagher and California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson. Both encouraged us to continue the fight to protect farmers and ranchers through our efforts at the local level. I participated in a tour of the University of Nevada, Reno agriculture department. It was fascinating to hear from a professor about her research trials for breeding sorghum seeds. Specifically, she is working toward maximizing the protein content of the plant while adapting it to a hot western climate. We also heard about wildlife restoration practices in partnership with the efforts of conservation programs. The university’s forward-thinking approach is attracting many young adults, and approximately half of the student base comes from California.  

My favorite part of the weekend was the Awards Banquet, where, to our surprise, Kern County was presented with a coveted award — the Outstanding Committee of the Year! What an honor to receive the award on behalf of the 2023 Kern YF&R executive team as a token for the past year’s dedication and service. We finished off the evening’s excitement with a bowling reception. But that’s not all! The final day of the conference included the Open Discussion Meet competition, where Tim Collins competed in the Final Four to discuss challenges related to the agriculture industry. To our great excitement, Tim won and was recognized as the first state-wide winner from Kern County! Congratulations Tim! He will move up to compete on the national level in January. What an accomplishment.  

Finally, our 2023 activities wrapped up in December with a festive Christmas party. This was a great opportunity to reflect on the club’s accomplishments for the year and celebrate the friendships we’ve developed.  

As we transition into a new year, please keep an eye out for announcements regarding our chapter meetings and events. Be sure to save the date for our 4th Annual Clay Shoot on March 16, 2024. If you would like to be on our newsletter list, please email kernyfr@kerncfb.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. If you know of any young professionals between the ages of 18-35, please let them know about our group. And remember, you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to join. All we require is an appreciation for agriculture! 

Email: KernYFR@KernCFB.com 

Instagram: @Kern_YFR 

Facebook: KernCountyYoungFarmersAndRanchers 

Clay Shoot Sign-Up: kernyfr.square.site  

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