Shelley Wetherell of Douglas County Farm Bureau was honored with a Farm Bureau Top Hand Award by Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) President Sharon Waterman and OFB Executive Vice President Dave Dillon during the 86th OFB Annual Meeting, which took place Dec. 4-6, 2018, in Salem. Wetherell also received the 2018 County Farm Bureau Woman of the Year Award, presented by the OFB Women’s Advisory Council. “We’re proud to give the 2018 Top Hand Award to Shelley Wetherell of Douglas County Farm Bureau in recognition of her many years of outstanding service, dedication, and leadership within our grassroots organization,” said Waterman. “Shelley is a stalwart volunteer, a good friend, and is always ready to share her time, energy, and counsel to further the goals of Farm Bureau and support agriculture in Douglas County.” Said Wetherell, “I’m grateful to be part of the diverse Farm Bureau family. I’ve made so many friends, and I’ve learned so much from other members in an environment that respects all opinions and types of agriculture. There’s no satisfaction more precious to me than recognition from these allies.” “It’s vital to the preservation and success of farming and ranching in Douglas County that Farm Bureau continue to promote the importance of agriculture within our community,” said Wetherell. Wetherell is known for sharing her understanding of Oregon’s complex land use policy with Douglas County Farm Bureau members, encouraging them to engage on critical land use issues and navigate cases having serious impacts on local agriculture and forestry. Wetherell organized Farm Bureau members to testify before the Douglas County Commissioners in hearings involving a Rural Open Space designation and Rural Transition Zoning classifications. She was involved in the entire Land Use Board of Appeals process for both cases, and kept Douglas County Farm Bureau members informed and engaged throughout. Wetherell has also organized many events for Douglas County Farm Bureau members, including a CPR training and an estate planning forum. The forum featured presentations from the Rogue Valley Trust, a local attorney, and speakers who had completed successful estate planning for family farms and timberlands. Wetherell also volunteers on Douglas County Farm Bureau’s scholarship committee and women’s committee, and has served as a county delegate or alternate at the OFB House of Delegates, the grassroots body that votes upon OFB Policy at the state level, for many years. Wetherell is a staple in all OFB Women’s Advisory Council activities, volunteering at the annual Farm Bureau legislative reception at the state capitol, the OFB Annual Meeting, and Oregon Ag Fest at the state fairgrounds. “I was honored and grateful to receive the 2018 County Woman of the Year Award from the OFB Women’s Advisory Council,” said Wetherell. “The council has given me the opportunity to become involved in promoting agriculture at the state level and making connections between farmers, ranchers, and the the general public.” Shelley and her husband Mike Wetherell raise wine grapes in Umpqua.
