Young Farmers and Ranchers provides an opportunity for Cal Poly students to get involved in real issues affecting agriculturists in San Luis Obispo County and gain real-life experiences.

Recently named the 2007 Committee of the Year by the California Young Farmers and Ranchers, San Luis Obispo County YF&R promotes leadership, education and advancement in agriculture.

Together with the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau, YF&R members participate in many events throughout the year and are an active voice for agriculture in the community.

“The majority of the events that we volunteer at assist in the promotion of agriculture and help support local ag organizations throughout the county,” said Kevin Barlet, chairman of Young Farmers and Ranchers. “As an added bonus, all of the events we participate in assist our members in becoming better community leaders.”

YF&R members gain these experiences through working with established agricultural organizations. A few of the organizations that YF&R has worked with in the past year include the San Luis Obispo Farm Bureau Women, the Agriculture Task Force, the Agriculture Education Committee, Farm Supply Co. and the California Young Farmers & Ranchers.

In February, members attended the San Luis Obispo Thursday Night Farmers Market to promote Food Checkout Week.

Food Checkout Week is the week when most Americans have earned enough disposable income to pay for their food for the entire year.

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Members talked to the community about how Americas have one of the safest and most affordable food supplies in the world.

In addition to promoting Food Checkout Week, YF&R members distributed a children's coloring book that promoted agriculture in an effort to educate children about where their food comes from.

The Great Ag Adventure was a great opportunity for YF&R members to educate fourth-grade children about the importance of agriculture.

By members leading groups around different ag-related stations, the children learned important lessons about farming and ranching.

San Luis Obispo County YF&R has also taken action in the community, advocating for the preservation of property rights.

At a San Luis Obispo county Board of Supervisors meeting, YF&R members testified, along with other community agriculture groups, about the need to keep public trails off private land.

Those and other activities have not gone unnoticed by San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau President Paul Clark.

“We are lucky to have such an energetic group of young adults who are interested in the future of agriculture,” said Clark. “These are busy Cal Poly students who make time to be an important part of the community.”

Each month, YF&R hosts a barbecue dinner for its members. The dinners are an opportunity for members to meet one another and listen to guest speakers. Each speaker is an agriculture specialist from San Luis Obispo County.

At YF&R's April barbecue dinner, nearly 80 people attended to listen to guest speaker Andrew Firestone, owner and manager of the Firestone Winery in Paso Robles.

He spoke to the group about several issues he has faced as a young farmer and winemaker.

On Oct. 13, the San Luis Obispo County YF&R will again hold the Bounty of the County Dinner and live auction at Madonna Inn.

This year, special guest speaker George Gomes from the California Department of Food and Agriculture and a past administrator for the California Farm Bureau Federation, will deliver a keynote address about the importance of youth in agriculture.

Auctioneer Dr. Scott Vernon has again donated his time to man the gavel to help raise money for the committee. The 2007 auction item preview promises to be as exciting as the last, with Barlet, as well as an assortment of other tempting items, available to the highest bidder.

Proceeds from this remarkable event provide the organization with the funds needed to operate for the following year.

For more information about YF&R and the Bounty of the County, visit www.slofarmbureau.org.

Frost Pauli is the past chairman of the San Luis Obispo County YF&R, a Cal Poly student and a young agriculturist in Northern California.

September 16, 2007