It’s Time for
Annual Meeting!
Make plans now to attend the West Virginia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting! This year’s event
features a number of fascinating seminars and dynamic speakers, full of great information for you,
your family and your farm! And don’t miss the opportunity to greet old friends and make new
ones! Don’t miss out - make your reservations today using the attached brochure or go online
using the QR code or to www.wvfarm.org. (Note: no other brochures will be mailed to members)
Presenters for this year include:
Jim & Valerie Gabehart play heart-felt songs in a bluegrass style from
the hills of West Virginia. They met through their shared love for bluegrass
music and married in 1981. They formed their band in 1982 and they’ve
been making music together ever since. Jim & Valerie are joined by Joe
Vance, Jr., from Hurricane, West Virginia, and Brandon Shuping, from Mingo
County, West Virginia.
Jim & Valerie have performed as an opening act at concerts with The
Judds, Ricky Skaggs, Charlie Daniels, Roy Clark, Eddie Rabbit, Exile, and
Confederate Railroad.
Their most recent CD, recorded in 2013 at Eagle Canyon Studios in Nashville,
is “I Was Raised In A Railroad Town”, a collection which also included several
of Jim’s original compositions.
Ryan Yates is the Director of Congressional Relations at the American
Farm Bureau Federation. In this capacity, he advocates on behalf of American
farmers and ranchers on policy issues including federal lands management, the
Endangered Species Act, and protection of private property rights.
Previously, Yates has served as Associate Legislative Director for the
National Association of Counties (NACo), where he handled policies
affecting public lands and NACo’s Western Interstate Region. Before joining
NACo, Yates was Western Issues Specialist with the National Association of
Conservation Districts.
Yates has a degree in agricultural business from California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo.
14 West Virginia Farm Bureau News