Four Farmers Union members received the Torchbearer Award Dec. 10th at the 92nd annual Wisconsin Farmers Union State Convention in Wisconsin Dells including South Central’s own youth leader, Olivia Roth. Recognition as a Torchbearer is the highest honor bestowed upon Farmers Union youth, marking completion of five years of community and organizational service, and education in the topics of cooperation, leadership and civic engagement.
In addition, Olivia was elected by her peers to serve on the National Farmers Union National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC) during All-States this past summer. Roth presented a speech to the WFU Convention attendees, which she will also share at the National Farmers Union Convention in March in San Francisco. Here is a chance to learn more about Olivia through this Q&A as she writes about her journey and goals.
WFU: Can you tell us about your path to becoming a Torchbearer award-winner? What did it take?
OLIVIA: In order to receive the Torchbearer Award, one must complete the entire Farmers Union youth program. This process looks a little different for each state, but for WFU it meant I had to complete numerous years of the education program, which included topics on cooperation, education, and legislation; as well as participating in community and civic engagement opportunities. As part of this journey, I attended WFU summer camps every year at Kamp Kenwood since 2014, when my family joined the organization. Of course, eventually I aged out of the camp program when I turned 18, but this past summer I worked as a camp counselor at Kamp Kenwood for the first time and absolutely loved it. I really think that being able to experience the youth and camp programs gave me an excellent foundation for being able to help facilitate those same programs while I was working as staff. The involvement I’ve had in Farmers Union for so much of my life has been instrumental in shaping my adult self, and has allowed me to achieve some pretty incredible things – like receiving the Torchbearer Award!
WFU: What did you learn along the way?
OLIVIA: : It’s hard to condense 9 years of my life and the things I learned from an organization and experiences that have played such a major role in them but I’ll try! I think the camp program definitely worked as an incredibly effective tool to introduce me to all things Farmers Union when I was a young child. I was 11 the first time I attended Kamp Kenwood and to say that I never looked back would be completely true. I was enthralled by the new topics we learned about each year, ranging from sustainability, food insecurity, watersheds, and so many more. And of course, we always had lessons focused around the Farmers Union organization itself: we learned about the history of Farmers Union, what it stands for, how to be advocates for critical issues in the community, what cooperation can do, etc. There was certainly no shortage of valuable information – and the best part was that it was so much fun! Both the camp program and the youth education program functioned in similar ways, in that there were always engaging and hands-on elements that promoted learning in an extremely enjoyable way. I learned so much about not only WFU and what the organization believes in and consists of, but also about real-world topics and how they impacted our communities in varying ways. I learned about myself, and what I could do to be a better steward of the land, a more engaged member of my society, a more effective leader and cooperator, and a more informed individual. These experiences paved the way to a brighter future for myself, especially within the Farmers Union family as a whole. I had the opportunity to attend the National Farmers Union All-States Camp in June of 2022 and gained a world of new perspectives, ideas, and experiences. I met and connected with other young adult Farmers Union members from across the country and was able to share stories, traditions, and thoughts with them. At All-States, I also ran for a position on the National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC) and obtained one. Through my NYAC position, I’ve made incredible friends, had amazing experiences (like attending NFU’s D.C. Fly-In!), and learned indescribable amounts. I’m proud to represent Wisconsin youth as a NYAC member, and am so excited to learn even more.
WFU: Tell us a little bit about your ag background?
OLIVIA: My family moved to Albany, WI in the spring of 2014 where we have a small family farm. We raise sheep, laying hens, meat poultry, and occasionally pigs, as well as growing a variety of produce. My family’s farm operates on the idea that sustainability is one of the best ways to promote conservation and to protect valuable farming resources, so that is one of our key motives with farming. Our chickens and other poultry are raised free-range, and we pasture-graze our sheep using a rotational grazing method. For as long as I can remember, even before we began farming, my family has been focused on supporting small, local, and sustainable growers whenever possible. Now that we’ve been in the business for years, though, it’s become an even higher priority. It can be hard for me to be involved as much as I used to be with our farm now that I’m away most of the time at college, but I’m so proud of the work my family does to keep things moving along successfully even when it’s not always the easiest task or when not everyone can be around to help.
WFU: Who inspires you?
OLIVIA: My parents are definitely two of the people I look up to the most. They are passionate, hardworking, and care about myself and my siblings more than anything. They have been so supportive of me in every venture of my life and I absolutely could not have achieved what I have without them. They inspire me every day to be a better person. Additionally, I have found incredible sources of inspiration within WFU itself over the years. Cathy Statz, the former WFU education director and camp director, has played an incredibly big role in my life. I learned so much from her – not only as a camper and youth member, but also when we worked together. Cathy showed me that it’s possible to absolutely love your job and find joy through teaching others what you believe in most passionately. She has been a role model of mine for years and I hope to make her proud as I grow even more, both personally as well as through Wisconsin Farmers Union and National Farmers Union. WFU: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? or 10 years?A: In 5 years, I see myself having graduated college with my English degree and working in the field. I’m hoping to utilize my Spanish minor as well, and work as either a literary translator or a teacher of English as a second/foreign language. I’m incredibly passionate about language and find its sheer influence and ability totally mesmerizing. In 10 years time, I’m hoping to return to graduate school and pursue a Masters degree in Library Sciences. I would love to study more, as education and learning have always been huge parts of my life, and Library Sciences is a topic I have been interested in for years. And of course, I plan to stay involved with Farmers Union and agriculture – I’m hoping to have a small hobby farm once I get a little older and move out completely!
WFU: What is your hope for your generation’s future?
OLIVIA: I think that my generation is one of the most vital forces when it comes to creating meaningful change. As young people, we have the chance to learn, educate, empower, and make a difference. This could be in any type of situation – agricultural, climate, political, etc. But no matter what, I believe that we have the tools and the knowledge necessary to inspire change across any platform we put our minds to. I truly hope that as a collective, we can work cooperatively to make the things we believe in happen.