Women’s Leadership Committee

2023-2024 Executive Committee

Pictured from left: Past Chair Caroline Etsch; 1st Vice Chair Darcy Perehinys; Chair Danielle Wainwright; 2nd Vice Chair Rachel Sickler; and Secretary Sissy Mathew

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2024 Beth and Owen Pool Memorial Scholarship Winner

This year’s winner is Chloe Eachus.

Chloe is a senior at Woodstown High School. She will attend Rowan University, majoring in pre-vet biological science, with plans to become a veterinarian. She was active in Woodstown High School FFA, serving as Historian, Secretary and President. She is a 4-H member of County Corners and Dairy Danides Club, currently serving as President of Dairy Danides. She earned varsity letters in FIeld Hockey and Track and Field, along with being a Wrestling Manager and member of National Honor Society. She earned Silver at the National FFA Dairy Handler Contest and Bronze at the National FFA Dairy Judger Contest.

As part of the application, each student must submit an essay. I will read you two sentences from her essay.

“Agriculture feeds and nurtures the soul by providing unmatched experiences and life long satisfaction of the hard work and dedication agriculture requires to create the world with our own hands. Raising, training, and engaging with animals and holding their lives in the palm of my hand has provided me with a sense of purpose and led me to the veterinary field.”

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NJ WOMEN REPRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Past Chair, Caroline Etsch, Chair Danielle Wainwright, Vice Chair, Darcy Perehinys and committee member, Tracy Smith attended AFBF Women’s ACE Summit June 3-5th, 2024 in Washington, DC. They expanded their skills in advocacy training with new techniques and sat in many innovative breakout groups.

 

 

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2023 Beth Pool Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Megan Brooks is graduating from Salem County Vocational/Technical School and attending Delaware Valley College with a proposed major in Dairy Science to pursue a career as a Veterinarian.  Megan has been employed with GlenElla Dairy for the past two years.  She has grown through this job, and has developed a passion for the dairy industry.  

Megan’s quote “I hope to be able to make a difference in the agricultural community throughout my lifetime.”

 

 

 

 

 

November 2022 meeting at Terhune Orchards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group photo of NJFBWLC members at our December meeting

 

 

 

 

2022 NJFB Women’s Leadership Committee Woman of the Year  – The “Woman of the Year” award is presented by our Women’s Leadership Committee annually. This year we honored Mary Lynn Shiles. Mary Lynn is a strong advocate for NJ agriculture. Mary Lynn is a long-time director of NJFB and represents the Gloucester County Board of Agriculture. She and her family own and operate a fruit and vegetable farm in Mullica Hill and West Deptford, NJ. Mary Lynn and her daughter, Erica run their 2 farm markets under the name “Grasso Girls”. Her advocacy has been through her participation as a county board president, many committees of that board, and as director on the NJFB board. She also participates with the NJ Department of Agriculture and NJ Agricultural Society on their programs and promotions. Mary Lynn has achieved all of this while battling health issues this past year. Her strength, passion for her industry, and persistence will help her to be a successful farmer and continued advocate in the future.

Click here to see a gallery of older NJFBWLC photos.

Click here for information about and an application for the Gladys “Beth” Pool Memorial Scholarship.

Farm Bureau Communication Bootcamp – Past attendees of the Farm Bureau Communication Bootcamp  discuss what they learned by participating in the program.

Danielle Wainwright – Listen to Southampton farmer Danielle Wainwright as she talks about farming in New Jersey, and her family’s farm operation with Rob Sharkey, known as the SharkFarmer, on his daily radio show on SIRIUS XM RuralRadio channel 147.

 

 

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Board Members