2016 Annual Report

Since the Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County was established

in 2005 it has grown and prospered. It has done so because of the amazing support of the agriculture community of the North Bay region. The Foundation continues to provide scholarships and sponsors programs to increase the awareness and knowledge of agriculture from elementary to high school students as well as to public policy officials and the general public.

While agriculture plays an important role in the economy of Sonoma County and the North Bay region it represents a small percentage of the population. This is why it is so vital to continue to support efforts to educate and inform our young people and our policy makers about the wonderful things agriculture provides. Today’s farmers and ranchers are more educated, technologically advanced and environmentally aware than any generation of farmers and ranchers, yet there are those that still perceive we are not protecting the environment.

In order to improve this perception it is imperative that we continue to support, educate and inform our young people (our future) and the public of the positive aspects of agriculture. With your help and generous support the Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County can and will continue to do so.

Respectfully Submitted, Robert Muelrath, President Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County

Supporting, Educating and informing our futurE

Cover image: by Rachel LaFranchi, Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol

$15,000+Jackson Family FoundationJohn Jordan Foundation

$2,500+Bucher Farms Dirt Farmer & Co.Enzenauer VineyardJeff & Roberta Kunde Marcia Mickelson PG&E Rivertown Feed Serres Ranch

2015 - 2016fiScal YEar donorS

Board of dirEctorS 15’ - 16’

Robert Muelrath, President

Tito Sasaki, Vice President

Steve Olson, Treasurer

Kim Vail, Secretary

John Azevedo

Steven Easter

Jeff James

Marcia Mickelson

Annette O’Kelley

Arnie Riebli

Rachel Stevenson

$10,000+Terri & Mark Stark $5,000+American AgCreditGarton Tractor Paul Hobbs WinerySonoma Marin Cattleman’s Assoc.Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards

2016 farm BurEau foundation of Sonoma countY ScholarShip rEcipiEntS Over $130,000 in Scholarships Awarded to 40 Students in Sonoma and Marin Counties

• Bob & Leslie Kunde Memorial - $10,000• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma-

Marin Cattlewomen - $1,500• Garton Tractor FFA - $1,000• Stark Restaurants - $1,000

Robert Tunzi Oklahoma State University

• Stark Restaurants - $5,000• “Flying A” Sponsored by Associated

Propane - $2,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000• Russian River Valley Girls - $1,000

Emma Manoukian California State University, Chico

• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial - $3,000• The Heck Foundation - $2,500• Russian River Valley Girls - $1,000• Sonoma County Farm Trails - $1,000• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen &

Cattlewomen - Mona Chisholm Memorial - $1,000 Emily Nunez California State University, Chico

• Paul Hobbs Winery - $5,000• Charles Bacigalupi/Russian River Valley

Winegrowers - $2,000• Gus and Anne Sanchietti Ag Memorial

- $1,000 Jordan Dutton University of California, Davis

• John Jordan Foundation - $6,000• Bruce Campbell Memorial - $1,000

Angelina Law University of California, Davis

• Phil Enzenauer Viticulture - $2,500• Herrick Vineyards - $1,000• Joe Bucher Memorial - $1,000• Laguna Vineyards - Cartan Family -

$1,000• Turrentine Wine Brokerage - $1,000

Genevieve Patt Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• Stark Restaurants - $4,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000• Warren Dutton Memorial - $1,000

Hope Hansen California State University, Fresno

• John Jordan Foundation - $6,000 Jessie Peterson California State University, Chico

• HALTER - $2,500• Moretti Dairy - $1,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial

- $1,000• John Jordan Foundation - $1,000

Constance Jones Oklahoma State University

• American AgCredit - $3,500• John Jordan Foundation - $1,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000 Paige Nonella California State University, Fresno

Sonoma County Vineyard Technical GroupThe Heck Foundation $1,000+Atwood Ranches Balletto VineyardsBeretta DairyBonita DeBernardiBruce Lundquist

CA Assoc of Pest ContractorsCommunity First Credit UnionDairymen’s Feed & Supply Dana Grogan Denise Bahnsen Brown Denner RanchesDutton RanchE.R. Sawyer Jewelers Eeve Lewis

Friedman’s Home Improvement Georganne ProctorHealdsburg Vet HospitalJerry & Don’s YagerJohn & Pam Bacigalupi Laguna Vineyards LeDuc & Dexter, Inc. Lorri HerrickMarin County Farm Bureau

• Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards - $2,500• Sonoma County Vineyard Technical

Group - $2,000 Jake Dutton Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo

• Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers & Ranchers - $1,500

• Carol Michelis-Vineyard Industry Products Memorial - $1,000

• Martha J. Faust Memorial - $1,000• Sonoma County Vineyard Technical

Group - $1,000 Matteo Ramagl Santa Rosa Junior College

• Serres Ranch - $2,500• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000• Marin County Farm Bureau - $750

Alyssa McClure Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• Art Weyers Memorial - $1,000• Balleto Vineyards’ Saralee McClelland

Kunde Agriculture - $1,000• John Jordan Foundation - $1,000• Roy King Dairymens Feed - $1,000

Carly Olufs Oklahoma State University

• DeBernardi Dairy - $1,000• Isolena Maestretti and Bernice Beretta

Memorial - $1,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000• Marin County Farm Bureau - $750

Danny Moretti Oregon State University

• Tamara Lewis Benson Memorial - $2,500• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000 Elizabeth Slick Oregon State University

• PG& E Agriculture Scholarship - $2,500• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000 Rick Taggesell Jr. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial - $1,500

• Park Avenue Turf Scholarship - $1,000• Pat & Allison Emery - $1,000

Lupita Albur Ruiz Cal Poly, Ponoma

• Garton Tractor FFA - $3,000 Christopher Sharp California State University, Fresno

• End-of-the Road Gang - $2,000• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial -

$1,000 Emma Briggs California State University, Fresno

$1,000+ Cont.Martin BablerMichael Needham Moretti FamilyNorth Bay Petroleum & Nick Barbieri TruckingOpperman & Son Park Ave Turf Patrick Emery Peter Barbieri Russian River Valley Winegrowers Assoc.

Sherry Weyers Sonoma County Farm BureauSonoma-Marin YF&RSonoma Media InvestmentTom & Julie AtwoodValley View Dairy Vineyard Industry Products Wright Contracting $500+Alan Connor Anthony Guerrero

Bruno SchurterCarmen Castaldi & Perri Haughwout Casey ColeDana & Thomas Grogan Friendly Feed & Supply Guy & Heidi Benjamin J & D Bucher Enterprises John & Katrina BidiaMark Sanchietti Mike & Julie Nonella

• Guy Fieri’s Cooking with Kids Foundation - $1,000

• Saralee McClelland Kunde Farm-to-Table Culinary - $1,000 Ashley Corbett Santa Rosa Junior College

• Dick Weber Memorial - $1,500• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma-

Marin CattleWomen - $500 Clara Cuevas Santa Rosa Junior College

• Herbert Burbank Jr. Memorial - $1,500• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma-

Marin Cattlewomen - $500 Matthew Vosseler Santa Rosa Junior College

• North Coast California Association of Pest Control Advisors - $1,000

• Redwood Empire Vineyard Management - $1,000 Nicholas Ramirez Santa Rosa Junior College

• American AgCredit - $1,500 Justin Marht California State University, Chico

• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma-Marin Cattlewomen - $1,500 Steven Pozzi California State University, Fresno

• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial - $500

• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma-Marin Cattlewomen - $750 Amanda Raffety Santa Rosa Junior College

• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Cattlewomen - $750

• Jess Stonestreet Jackson Memorial - $500 Julia Almind Santa Rosa Junior College

• Sonoma-Marin Cattlemen & Sonoma Marin Cattlewomen - $750

• Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers & Ranchers - $500 Leonel Soto Mora Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• North Bay Petroleum - $1,000 Adrianna Begley Oklahoma State University

Nancy Dorr Scott & Val ManoffSleepy Hollow PropertiesSteven & Melissa Coppock Tito & Janet Sasaki$250+B & F DommenBette & Bruce Russell Bob & Beth Salisbury Bradley & Helen Blodow Bryan Hale

Charles Root Clover Stornetta Farms, Inc Craig Jacobson Hunt & BehrensHealdsburg Vet HospitalDoug & Roberta Chase Edward GrossiHerm & Marilyn Benedetti Jim & Nancy CartanNicholas Frey Bernier Farms

Paul Matthew Friedman Susan & Kenneth Churchill Susan GoransonThomas Mauritson Family Mauritson Vineyards Zuger Family $100+Alder Creek RanchBenicia PlumbingCam FraserCoop & Karen Gabelman

• Jerry and Don’s Yager Pump & Well - $1,000 Benjamin Grismer California State University, Chico

• Walter M. Willy Memorial - $1,000 Dakota Kantala California State University, Chico

• Wright Contracting - $1,000 Hailee Hankins Oklahoma State University

• Pete & Judy Barbieri in Memory of Italo Barbieri - $1,000 Jared Beth California State University, Fresno

• E.R. Sawyer Jewelers - Van Dyke Family - $1,000 Megan Groverman Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• Opperman & Son Truck Sales - $1,000 Nicholas Temple California State University, Chico

• Friedman’s Home Improvement - $1,000 Robert Bisordi California State University, Chico

• Sonoma Media Investments Agriculture - $1,000 Sarah Judge Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

• Garton Tractor FFA - $1,000 Ty Evenich Santa Rosa Junior College

• LeDuc & Dexter Plumbing - $1,000 Zachary Davis University of Wyoming

$100+ Cont.Diane LafranchiGustav & Betty Ann ErpenHolly BastHugo & Margrit SchaerliJ & J Dairy SuppliesJeanette LebellJeff & Judy JamesJim O’HaraLisa CurryMarlyse & Johann Stocklin

Patti WhitehillPaul FinkleRenati DairyRenee AndersonRobert & Linda DawsonSamuel McMillanTom & Pj LoCocoTrish & Knowel OwenValorie Bader$50+Allan & Claudia Nelson

Alois & Anna BucherDeanna MartinDolinsek RanchGiovannini TrustHansueli EnzPetaluma Livestock YardPaul & Rebecca KelleyPhyllis Chan & John SalzgeberMcClure DairyTerry & Carolyn HarrisonTim & Catherine Tesconi

Robby Tunzi (center) was presented the Gold Cup by Farm Bureau Executive Director Kim Vail and Farm Bureau Foundation President Bob Muelrath.

Tomorrow’s Leaders Today students from Santa Rosa Schools wake up and smell the roses at Neve Bros. Roses in Petaluma.

2016 foundation SponSorEd EvEntS

A part of the Farm Credit System.

Equal Opportunity Lender.

Call 800.800.4865 today or visit AgLoan.com

AG IS OUR MIDDLE NAME Money for agriculture.

It’s what we know.

It’s all we do.

A Special Congratulations to

Justin Marht & Paige Nonella,

Our 2017 Scholarship Recipients!

Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County set a new record in 2016 topping the previous total of $123,000 in scholarships awarded in 2015 by $7,000. Overall the Foundation awarded

$130,000 in scholarships and another $42,250 for the Children of Vineyard Workers scholarship fund, which the Foundation is privileged to administer for Wilson Family of Wineries. All donations made to the Foundation are tax deductible and are used to preserve Sonoma County’s rich agricultural heritage through education and outreach in urban and rural communities. In total, contributions to the Foundation equaled $173,506 in 15/16. Donations ranging from $25 to $15,000 were given when renewing Farm Bureau memberships, in memorial of past leaders and at Farm Bureau events. More than $63,350 in donations were pledged at the Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest. The largest percentage of donations over the last year was distributed through agriculture scholarships. The Foundation awarded 40 scholarships to Sonoma and Marin County students majoring in agricultural business, culinary, dairy science, viticulture, veterinary medicine and plant genetics. The Foundation is diligent in keeping overhead expenses to a minimum, so that maximum resources are used to build agricultural awareness and foster a positive public perception about agriculture in Sonoma County.

October2016

October2015

$ Change

% Change

TOTAL ASSETS $131,675 $127,250 $4,425 3%

farm BurEau foundation ExpEnSES

2015 - 2016 farm BurEau foundation financial rEportCommunity donors contributed more than $173,000 for agricultural programs and scholarships

Scholarships and Awards - 80%

Operations - 13%

Programs - 7%

Donations - 90%

Memorial Donations - 4%

Program Sponsorships - 2%

Other - 4%

farm BurEau foundation incomE

total nEt aSSEtS prEviouS YEar compariSon ScholarShipS awardEd pEr YEar 2007 - 2016

5,000

25,000

45,000

65,000

85,000

105,000

125,000

145,000

07 - 08 15 - 16

FoundationScholarships

Children ofVineyard Workers