Mr. Diercks, along with his father, owns and operates 2800-acre potato and vegetable farm in Coloma, Wisconsin. Mr. Diercks has been farming since 1993 and received his bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Agriculture Engineering. Mr. Diercks was elected President of the Wisconsin Agricultural Stewardship Initiative in July 2001 and was elected President of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association in February 2002.

Richard (Dick) L. Cates, Jr., Ph.D., and his wife, Kim, co-own and operate the Cates Family Farm near Spring Green, Wisconsin, a managed grazing farm that has been in the family since 1967. The Cates family raises grass-fed beef and sells directly to restaurants, stores and households.

Dick holds a faculty position in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is director of the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers, a program for training and mentoring start-up farmers which he helped create in 1995. He also co-teaches courses in grassland- and agro- ecology.

Dick serves an appointment by US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to the USDA Advisory Council for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. He also serves as a member of the River Valley School Board and the Spring Green Lions Club. In addition, Dick works internationally as a volunteer consultant with farmer-to-farmer assistance projects, most recently in Azerbaijan, China, Honduras and Moldova.

His first book, “Voices from the Heart of the Land: rural stories that inspire community” (2007; The Guest Cottage Books), is conversations with elder rural citizens that communicate the value set of our forebears around land, community, and character in America.

Dick counts his good fortune in the abundance of the farm, the love of his family and friends, and in the opportunity to determine one’s own destiny in a free and democratic country.

Mr. Dummer along with his wife Kathy, daughters, Amy, Beth and Tracy, his parents and brothers, manage a farming operation that includes livestock, cash grain, grain elevator and custom combining and commercial composting business in Holmen. Mr. Dummer served as president of the Wisconsin National Farmers Organization for seven years and was Southwest District NFO president in 1997. Dummer is currently the Director of Marketing and Service for the Equity Livestock Credit Corporation. Mr. Dummer has served on several local and state committees including the DNR Animal Waste Advisory Committee; Agriculture, Technology and Family Farm Institute Advisory Committee; DATCP Grain Council and Marketing Division Advisory Committee; and the Consortium for Animal Agriculture Resource Development.

As Director of the Roberto Hernandez Center (RHC), Dr. Figueroa is the chief executive and administrative officer of the Center. Responsibilities include overall management and planning, including personnel, budget administration, and program development and implementation. In addition, Dr. Figueroa is expected to promote campus affirmative action and equal opportunity goals and to make progress toward achieving the goals and actions of the UW system 2008 Plan, the Milwaukee Commitment, the OFCCP conciliation agreement, and provide support in areas of engagement with the community and implementation of commitments made by Chancellor and Vice Chancellor. As Assistant to the Provost for Latino Affairs, Dr. Figueroa assists the Provost in efforts to promote the hiring of Latino faculty and staff as well as represent UWM before the greater Milwaukee Latino community. Dr. Figueroa works extensively with the Latino community of Greater Milwaukee in areas of program development, research, outreach, and community empowerment through education. He serves on the Board of Directors of Milwaukee’s oldest community based organization serving the Latino community and has developed a communications protocol with the region’s Latino leadership.

Dr. Figueroa was born in Uvalde, TX and lived there until the age of twelve, when his family moved to Modesto, CA. His formal schooling includes an A.S degree in Animal Science from Modesto Junior College, a B.S. in Agricultural Education from Fresno State University, an M.S. in Horticulture from U.C.-Davis, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from U.C.-Davis. After his first Masters, Dr. Figueroa was an Instructor of Ornamental Horticulture at Modesto Junior College and then worked for the California Conservation Corps for the State of California. While in graduate school, Dr. Figueroa was selected as a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Fellow and worked for the House Committee on Agriculture in the U.S. Congress. Upon completing his doctorate, Dr. Figueroa was appointed Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at Cornell University and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor. Dr. Figueroa was appointed as Administrator of Agricultural Marketing Service by the Clinton Administration and subsequently was promoted to Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, both at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In both capacities, Dr. Figueroa played a key role in national policy affecting the marketing of agricultural products. He was responsible for a 2 billion dollar budget and a workforce of nearly 15,000. Dr. Figueroa serves on the Boards of national philanthropic organizations and on local community based organization Boards. He is a recognized national scholar, administrator, and Latino community leader.

Pamela Garvey owns and operates a 750-acre farm with her husband in Centuria. She is a member of the Polk County Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. She has held numerous leadership positions within the Bureau, including Young Farmer Chair, Volunteers for Agriculture Chair and Board member. Pamela also served on the Bureau’s State Policy Development Committee from 2006 to 2008. Additionally, she participates in Ag Day at the Capitol, has co‐chaired the Youth Agriculture Essay Contest, and is active in 4-H leadership. Pamela received a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology and with a minor in business.

John, who has a degree from Cornell University, operates Koepke Farms Inc., Oconomowoc, in partnership with his dad Jim and uncles Alan and David. Koepke Farms milks 330 Holstein cows, raises replacement heifers and has 970 acres dedicated to corn, soybeans and hay. John and his wife, Kim have three sons and are active members of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. In 2003, John was named Watertown Area Outstanding Young Farmer and also received a citation from the Wisconsin Assembly for dedication to excellence in dairy management and a commendation from the Office of the Governor for distinguished dairy management. In 2009, the Dairy Farmers of America selected Koepke Farms as an American Dairy of Distinction, one of seven farms nationwide chosen to receive the honor. Since 2004, Koepke Farms continues as an active participant in the Discovery Farms program. John also serves as a town board supervisor for the Town of Oconomowoc. He is also a Waukesha County Farm Bureau board member and past president of the Waukesha County Milk Producers Cooperative.

Margaret Krome graduated from the University of Virginia in 1979 with a B.A. in English Literature. After working as an advocate for poverty legal aid in Washington, D.C. and as a community agroforester in Cameroon, in 1986 she moved to Wisconsin, where she has been an advocate for environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible agricultural policies. She received a masters degree from the UW-Madison's Land Resources Program in 1989.

Since 1994, she has been the Agricultural Policy Coordinator for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. In this capacity she coordinates the annual national grassroots campaign to fund federal programs supported by the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture; conducts workshops nationwide on grant writing and using federal programs to support sustainable agriculture; and works with agricultural and other colleagues to foster innovative state programs to support marketing, pesticide management and other needs.

She has worked with others in the Madison, Wisconsin area to foster close marketing relationships between consumers and locally environmentally sound farmers. She writes a bi-weekly editorial column for the evening paper in Madison, where she lives with her husband and two children. She and her family own 140 acres in Grant County, where they camp, garden, hunt, and are building a cabin.

Miranda Leis, a project manager for CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley in LaFarge, is presently Director of the Monroe County Farm Bureau. She has been an active member of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau since 2005, currently serving on the Policy Development Committee. Previously she held the position of Young Farmer and Agriculturalist Chair on both the county and state Farm Bureaus. Miranda is also involved with the La Crosse Chapter of the Project Management Institute and received her degree in animal science with an emphasis in dairy production and nutrition.

Mark Schleitwiler of Green Bay, is current Vice President of Operations for BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.. He serves on the Board of Directors for both the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and the American Producers of Italian Type Cheeses. Additionally, Mark is Treasurer for the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalists Fellowship and is affiliated with the Kraft Credit Committee and the Kraft Purchasing Committee. He has professional experience with both accounting and managerial related positions.