The Tehama County Farm Bureau celebrated its 105th year at the annual meeting in Los Molinos on the evening of January 19.
Keynote speaker, California Farm Bureau First Vice President Shannon Douglass told how the farmers had to organize in order to get a Farm Advisor from the University of California for the county, and in 1917 they became an organization with Elmer Sisson as Tehama County Farm Bureau President. Not sure who was the first farm advisor at that time, but 82 years ago Donald M. Smith was Farm Advisor when the Red Bluff Bull Sale was started.
Douglass mentioned that Farm Bureau has the publication Ag Alert, advocates for agriculture, and legislation lobbyist in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Ag in the Classroom is important in teaching about agriculture to the students. This fall California Farm Bureau worked with McDonald’s from Fresno to Chico, when a tray insert (placemat) had the commodities produced in California.
Shelley Macdonald presented the Friend of Farm Bureau Award and recognized Farm Day in Tehama County when 700 4th-grade students learned about agriculture at the fairgrounds. Thank you to the following presenters: Sierra Pacific Industries – Julie Kelley; Bees – Arrowsmith Apiaries; Beef – Tehama County CattleWomen; Dairy – California Dairy Council; Northern California Antique Tractors – Steve Zane; Roping – Mike Brewer; Stock Dogs – Bridget Grimsman; Goats – Christian Raem; Sheep – Lee Petty; Tree Crops – Tyler Christensen.
Media Person Award to Christine Souza of California Bountiful. Insurance Agent Award to Cody Marshall Insurance, who purchased the Andy Houghton Insurance Agency.
Member of the Year Award to Kendra McCluskey, who is always willing to help when needed including the cotton candy booth at Red Bluff Round-Up, and an officer for Farm Bureau.
Officers of Tehama County Farm Bureau are President Martin Spannaus, 1st VP Kendra McCluskey, 2nd VP Jud Pray, and Chief Financial Officer Bob Steinacher. The office manager is Kari Dodd. The directors are: Dana Baker, Andrew Bray, Tyler Christensen, Ted Crain, Richard Edsall, Steve Gruenwald, Katie Harris, Warren Hicks, Julie Kelley, Bruce Lindauer, Shanna Long, Shelley Macdonald, Kendra McCluskey, Sam Mudd, John Pitter, Jud Pray, Janet Rabo, Bailey Randel, John Rohr, Martin Spannaus, Bob Steinacher and Douglas Thomas.
The Past Friend of the Farm Bureau in 2022 was the Tehama Department of Education, with no meeting in 2021. Mandi Selvester Owens, 2019 it was Josh Davy, UC Cooperative Extension; Doni Rulofson and Tom Moss, Tehama Department of Agriculture. 2018 Denny Rogers and earlier were: Denny Rogers, North Valley Ag Services, Rick Buchner, Tom Gable, Dutch Brothers; Cornerstone Community Bank, Betty Resch, Red Bluff Garden Center, Russ Preul, Stacey Milley & Mike Brewer, Mark Eidman & Tehama District Fair, John Gentry, Phil & Cathy Conklin, Northern California Farm Credit, Mark Black & Allan Fulton, Bob Douglas & Don Corrie, John Gentry, Shelley Macdonald, Benny Brown, Susan Crawford and in 1996 it was Fran McGuire.
Past Member of the Year in 2022 was Robert Carrel, no meeting 2021, Martin Spannaus, Eric Borror, Joyce Bundy, Sue Knox, Mark Gilles, Bob Steinacher, Julie Kelley, Tyler Christensen, Cyndi Gilles, John Martinson, Sam Mudd, Ken Lindauer, Michael Vasey, Chuck Crain, John Rohr, Burt & Joyce Bundy, Ryan Sale, Jackie Baker, Shelley Macdonald, Dave Martin. 2000 it was Pam Giacomini & Linda Jenkins, Gary Spanfelner, Bill Jackson, Linda Jenkins, Bob Williams, Greg Long, Andy Houghton, Dennis & Cindy Ward, Bruce Lindauer, Faye Andreini, Jackie Baker, Jim Edwards, Roy Carmichael, Leland Davis, Mary Wigno, Carol Wood & Kathleen DeTore, none in 1983 or 1984, Pat Repanich, Courtney Bovee, and first was Charlotte Humphrey in 1980.
Thanks to the following TCFB Annual Sponsors: Nationwide Insurance, Dignity Health, Golden State Farm Credit, CAPEX, Andersen and Son’s Shelling, Crain Walnut Shelling, Crain Ranch, North Valley Ag Services and Cornerstone Community Bank.