Board Member Profile
Wenger:Foundation Encourages Much-Needed Appreciation for Agriculture
As a third-generation farmer and an American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture board member, California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger appreciates efforts that emphasize the family-oriented nature of agriculture past and present, like the Foundation's Agriculture's Lasting Heritage website. But it's products like Food & Farm Facts and the accompanying educator's guides produced by the Foundation that really draw people in, Wenger said.
"We have to use technology, but there's plenty of good, 'old-fashioned' ways to get people's attention, according to Wenger. "We need something that will pique someone's interest, such as Food & Farm Facts, and then encourage them to dig deeper, online and elsewhere."
The Foundation's focus on young people is critical, but educating adults is important to the organization, too. Through the Accurate Ag Books and educational resources and other programs, the Foundation encourages teachers and students to start the conversation about agriculture, and that conversation continues at home between children and their parents.
"There is no age at which we stop educating consumers," Wenger said, touching on the Foundation's efforts to encourage people of all ages to develop an understanding and appreciation for food and agriculture. "You never stop trying to inform people about how their food is produced, where it comes from and some of the challenges that are involved with that."
Along with leading the California Farm Bureau, Wenger farms almonds and walnuts on the family farm, which includes property purchased by his grandfather in 1910. His farming operations also include sharecropping, custom farm work and walnut hulling. He has expanded his operation to include processing and marketing of almonds and walnuts through his Wood Colony Nut Co. to provide an opportunity for the fourth generation of the family to vertically integrate into the family farming operation.
In addition, Wenger has been active in community affairs, serving on the Salida Volunteer Fire Department, the Hart-Ransom School Board of Trustees, and the Stanislaus Land Trust and Agricultural Pavilion boards. He also sits on the board of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Beyond dispelling some of the misconceptions about agriculture, Wenger hopes the Foundation's work will encourage some youngsters to consider a career in farming, ranching and related fields.
"Agriculture is about animals and growing things," Wenger said. "On a small scale, the Foundation offers that through the many classroom resources it provides. That's really appealing to kids."
To ensure the future of agriculture, we have to encourage children to carry that enthusiasm for farming and ranching and all that it entails through to adulthood.
"We need folks involved in agriculture on many levels-communications, legal, engineering and production," Wenger said. "We also need people to produce the raw products to grow in the field. There really is a world of opportunity in agriculture and we need to make that known."