Rachel Harmann of Algoma, Wis. has been honored for graduating from American Farm Bureau Federation’s Partners in Advocacy Leadership (PAL) Class 11. PAL was designed to help agricultural leaders accelerate their engagement abilities and solidify their roles as advocates for agriculture.
Rachel and her husband, Eric, raise beef cattle with their two sons on their farm, Lakeshore Land & Livestock. She also works in volunteer management for the American Red Cross. She serves as Door County Farm Bureau’s vice president and local affairs chair. Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from UW-River Falls. She is a former Alice in Dairyland finalist, Master of Beef Advocacy graduate and Wisconsin Beef Ambassador. She is also a graduate of the WFBF Leadership Institute Class XIV.
Rachel says her time in PAL has given her the confidence to pursue her goal of being a public speaker. It also helped her earn the appointment as the legislative chair for the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association.
“We commend the PAL graduates for their hard work and commitment to this program,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “We look forward to seeing how their dedication to advocating on agricultural issues will continue to benefit rural communities at the local, state and national level.”
Other graduates of PAL Class 11 are: Seth Earl, Michigan; Jason Fellows, Idaho; Laura Haffner, Kansas; Eileen Jensen, New York; Russ Kohler, Utah; Heather Lifsey, North Carolina; Ben Menges, Arizona; Megan Richner, Missouri; as well as Dana Stewart, Arkansas.
PAL training involves four learning modules designed to develop specific advocacy skills, including storytelling, policy development and stakeholder engagement. The modules build on one another over the two years of the program and include intense, in-person, hands-on training.
PAL Class 11 was sponsored by AFBF, Farm Credit and Bayer CropScience.
Applications for PAL Class 12 will be accepted through March 25. They must be approved by the applicant’s state Farm Bureau president. To be eligible for the program, candidates must be between the ages of 30 and 45 and also have demonstrated leadership skills. Learn more here.
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