More than 75 Farm Bureau members of Kansas have taken leadership positions within their farm organization and will serve on the organization’s agricultural advisory committees. Members on the eight state ag advisory committees surface commodity-specific issues, discuss solutions and make recommendations to the Kansas Farm Bureau board of directors.
“Having a solid group of committed members serve on our ag advisory committees means we have a strong grassroots organization,” Steve Baccus, Ottawa County farmer and president of Kansas Farm Bureau, says. “Each committee represents an ag commodity that is important to our state, and our committee members represent the entire state of Kansas. That’s KFB at its best.”
Committee members include:
Beef Committee: Cash Schilling, Sherman County; James Degeer, Neosho County; Shane Schlegel, Ness County; Clinton France, Wichita County; Daniel Atkisson, Rooks County; Daniel Schmidt, Marshall County; Randall Debler, Wabaunsee County; Leroy Russell, Shawnee County; Cody Bornholdt, McPherson County; Joann Wernli, Greenwood County.
Dairy Committee: Fred Meng, Doniphan County; Jake Hildebrand, Geary County; Duane Meier, Washington County; Steven Strickler, Allen County; Doug Anderson, Morris County; Amy Schmitz, Nemaha County; Robert Seiler, Sedgwick County; Lynda Foster, Bourbon County; J. Sigafoose, Finney County
Feedgrains Committee: Rex Lockwood, Brown County; Thomas Phillips, Lyon County; Bruce McKissick, Clark County; Kerry Whitehair, Dickinson County; Tyler Alpers, Stafford County; Kathy Claiborne, Wilson County; Stephen Bigge, Rooks County ; Nancy Cavenee, Greeley County; Lynn Goossen, Thomas County; Fredrick Schlender, Harvey County
Hay & Forage Committee: James Barrett, Decatur County; J.D. Perry, Wichita County; Dana Mayer, Wabaunsee County; Travis Lehmann, Smith County; Jeff Winter, Sedgwick County; Travis Goetz, Ford County; Neil Coufal, Doniphan County; Brad Birzer, Barton County; Michael Old, Woodson County; Kevin Henke, Republic County
Oilseeds Committee: Herb Beason, Chautauqua County; Craig Carnahan, Labette County; Jeff Smith, McPherson County; Clint Hamilton, Gray County; Kurt Maurath, Logan County; Fred Bloom, Seward County; Harry Fowler, Lyon County; Jody Hoffman, Ellis County; John Durst, Washington County; Randol Walker, Shawnee County
Sheep & Goat Committee: Carla Davis, Greenwood County; Brett Simmelink, Jewell County; Marvin Kaus, Sheridan County; Robert Price, Kearny County; Dallas Hiebert, Pawnee County; Barrett Smith, Kiowa County; Daniel Stehlik, Cloud County; Thomas Chambers, Franklin County; Charlene Sheppard, Pottawatomie County; Gary Cotterill, Montgomery County
Swine Committee: Dale Helwig, Cherokee County; Clarke Nelson, Phillips County; Craig Renner, Norton County; Max Menefee, Miami County; Scott Pfortmiller, Stafford County; Patrick Blanka, Pottawatomie County
Wheat Committee: Carl Brungardt, Neosho County; Nicholas Bowser, Jackson County; Cory Kistler, Thomas County; Rodney Doane, Osborne County; Cade Rensink, Ottawa County; Max Tjaden, Sedgwick County; Randall Bunnel, Anderson County; Brant Peterson, Stanton County; Jerry Deweese, Pratt County; John Stegman, Ford County
Committee members serve through Sept. 30, 2015 with one year appointments.  
Kansas Farm Bureau represents grassroots agriculture. Established in 1919, this non-profit advocacy organization supports farm families who earn their living in a changing industry.