State's largest farm group elects new leader

» December 7, 2005 «

Inaugurating a new era for the largest farm organization in the nation's No. 1 farm state, the California Farm Bureau Federation today elected a Santa Barbara County farmer as the federation's new president.

Doug Mosebar was unanimously elected president by delegates to the Farm Bureau's 87th annual meeting in Monterey.

Mosebar, from Santa Ynez, has served since 1997 as the California Farm Bureau's first vice president. He has been a statewide Farm Bureau officer since 1989, when he was elected second vice president.

"I'm honored, humbled and excited about the future," Mosebar said following his election. "I think it's incumbent upon all of us who farm or ranch to step out there and tell our story to our neighbors and to our representatives. We do a lot of great things, providing habitat and open space in addition to an amazing array of crops. I pledge to do all I can to ensure California's family farms and ranches can thrive for generations to come."

A former president of the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau, Mosebar farms hay, squash, flowers and pumpkins and raises cattle.

Mosebar becomes the 14th California Farm Bureau Federation president, succeeding Bill Pauli of Potter Valley. Pauli completed his tenure today after serving the maximum four terms as CFBF president.

Farm Bureau delegates unanimously elected Paul J. Wenger of Modesto as first vice president of the organization. Wenger, who has served as second vice president of CFBF for the past eight years, farms walnuts and almonds.

A cattle rancher and farmer from Linden was elected as the state Farm Bureau's new second vice president. Kenny Watkins has represented San Joaquin and Calaveras counties on the CFBF board. He is a former president of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation and raises beef cattle and grows alfalfa, walnuts and wheat.

Each of the statewide officers will serve for a two-year term.

The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 88,000 members statewide.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.