By Doug Beretta, Sonoma County Farm Bureau President
It’s been 15 years since I was the president of Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Many things have changed and some things never change. Sonoma County Farm Bureau is still the voice of Agriculture. We work hard to keep our membership strong, educate the public about ag issues and try to work for our membership staying in front of issues that can help and damage agriculture here in the county. As we move into 2023 with our new Executive director and a full staff for the first time in awhile I see nothing but good coming to Sonoma County Farm Bureau. We have a board of directors that consist of numerous agriculture commodities, some with years of farm bureau experience and some of the younger generation that bring a different side of ag to the board. This is a good thing. Agriculture is changing and we need to change with it but we still need to keep it the grassroots organization it is.
Some of the goals I have for the next two years is to get our committees back rolling. The pandemic kind of slowed the option to meet in person and have the one on one discussions we need to work on issues and topics. The General Plan will be heard in the next two years. This is going to take a lot of work from board members and our membership. Water is going to continue to be a major issue that Farm Bureau has been working hard on and will continue to work on. I would like to get all the commodities groups to feel that Farm Bureau is the go to organization to help with issues. I feel we need to have 1 Ag Voice to send the message to our politicians that without agriculture in Sonoma County this county would not be what it is today.
I have some big shoes to fill following Jennifer Beretta as president. As her father I am very proud of the job she did guiding this organization through some tough issues and tough times for agriculture during her two years as president. I’m up for the challenge and I look forward to representing agriculture here in the county and at the state level for our membership. I want you as a member of Sonoma County Farm Bureau to know that my eyes and ears are always open to listen and learn from our members to make Sonoma County agriculture the best that it can be.
