Executive Committee
President: Russel Efird
The new FCFB president-elect resides in Caruthers and farms in the Caruthers, Riverdale and Raisin City areas. On his family operation, Efird farms almonds, walnuts, grapes, dried prunes and fresh fruit, and also provides custom almond and wine grape harvesting services. Efird farms with his son Matthew, who is a fifth generation farmer in their area. Russel’s father, Irwin, served as FCFB president from 1982-1984.
Efird has served on the board for 18 years, most recently serving as the second vice president. Outside of his involvement with FCFB, he has served on other boards, including the Caruthers Unified School District, Fresno County Fire Protection District Board of Directors, Western Cotton Growers Association and the Laton Co-op Cotton Gin Board. While his children were growing up, he spent time with local youth sports organizations. Efird also graduated from the Class X of the Ag Leadership Program.
Efird has been married to Kathleen for 32 years, and has lived in Caruthers his entire life. He has four grown children: Matthew, John, Adam and Elizabeth. Efird graduated from Fresno State with a civil engineering degree in 1974.
First Vice-President: Dan Errotabere
Dan Errotabere is a general partner of a family farming operation in Riverdale and Huron. Errotabere, a third generation farmer, farms with his mother and two brothers, producing Pima cottons, wheat, cantaloupes, market and seed lettuce, cannery tomatoes, processing garlic and onions, pistachio and almonds.
Errotabere has a Bachelors of Science degree in agribusiness from California State University, Fresno, and is a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership, Class XXI, a two year fellowship program.
Errotabere currently serves on the board of directors for Westlands Water District, the San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Family Farm Alliance, Agricultural Foundation for California State University, Fresno, the Ag One Foundation and California Cotton Growers Association.
Second Vice-President: Steve Nash
Steve Nash, whose family has been in the dairy business since 1929, is FCFB’s second vice-president. He has a dairy located southwest of Selma, where he milks about 940 cows and has a total herd of 1,100 Holstein and Jersey cows. In addition, he farms about 620 acres of alfalfa, corn and wheat.
The third generation dairyman also serves as FCFB’s Dairy Commodity Chairman, and has served as the California Farm Bureau Federation Dairy Commodity Chairman. He also is a member of Western United Dairymen.
In February, Nash was elected to serve as vice chairman of the California Milk Advisory Board, the marketing arm for the state’s dairy farmers. This is the organization that is responsible for the highly successful and popular “Happy Cows” advertising campaign.
Nash sells his milk to California Dairies, Inc., a large cooperative that is made up of the former Danish Creamery, San Joaquin Valley Dairymen and California Milk Producers.
Nash is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in dairy science. He also is a graduate of Laton High School. He currently serves as president of the Selma Aqua Bears Youth Swim Team.
Nash and his wife, Terry, have two children, Stephanie and Cody.
Secretary/Treasurer: Ken Tatami
Ken is a third generation farmer who was born and raised in the Reedley area on the family farm. The family grew, packed and shipped deciduous tree fruit, table grapes, raisins, and strawberries. He continues to reside in Reedley with his wife, Mary and daughter, Ashley (12 years old). Mary’s family owns and operates a dairy in Merced County. Ken attended and graduated from Reedley High School. He then went to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business Administration in 1982. He has been employed in agricultural lending for over 25 years with the Farm Credit System and is currently working for Farm Credit West in their Dinuba office. He also took over the family farming operation in 1989. Today, he continues to farm 20 acres of deciduous tree fruit in the Reedley area.
Ken currently serves as the secretary-treasurer for the Fresno County Farm Bureau as well as the Ag Education Committee chairperson. Educating people about agriculture and its importance to our community is why he is so involved in the Farm Bureau. Ken is also a graduate of Class II of the California Farm Bureau’s Leadership Farm Bureau program.
Center Representative: Kathi Woodward
Kathi Woodward is a principle in Machado Dairy L.P. and Machado Farms, L.P., a family dairy and diversified farming operation in the Easton area. The dairy currently milks 800-head, and the farming operation produces almonds, grapes, silage corn, and winter forage grasses.
Woodward has been a part of Fresno County Farm Bureau for many years, currently serving as Easton Center chairperson and as an Executive Committee member. In addition to her board positions, Woodward assisted with the FCFB Ag Education Program’s Fabulous Food Machine presentations to local schools.
Major areas of interest to Woodward are trade, urban encroachment and dairy issues.
In addition to her FCFB activities, Woodward is involved in the St. Jude Church, St. Anthony School, CPDES Hall of Easton, and the Holy Ghost Association of Fresno. She is a former director of the Ag One Foundation at California State University, Fresno.
Woodward is a graduate of Fresno State with a Bachelor’s of arts degree in agricultural marketing.
Commodity Representative: Donny Rollin
Donny Rollin is a dairy producer in Riverdale. The dairy was started by his grandfather back in 1929, the Rollins’ family dairy operation has grown to more than 1,800 milking cows, mostly purebred Holsteins.
Rollin was born in the San Diego area but moved with his family to Riverdale in 1975 to help his father run the family farm. Today, he partners with his brother Andy and his father Paul. Their dairy is part of California Dairies Inc., the largest dairy cooperative in California, which merged with the Fresno-based Danish Creamery, whose butter is still marketed under the Danish Creamery logo.
In addition to his cows, Rollin farms over 700 acres of row crops, including alfalfa, corn, oats, wheat and Sudan grass. He also farms 15 acres of pomegranates and plans to plant more next winter.
Rollin graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1989 where he received a bachelor’s degree in dairy science and a minor in agricultural business.
Rollin is currently the Dairy Commodity Chairman on the FCFB Board of Directors. Outside of Farm Bureau, Rollin has served on the local Holstein Association board for 20 years and previously served on the local Dairy Herd Improvement Association board.
Rollin and his wife, Christina, have four children: Tristan, Noah, Laila, and Siena.
Appointed By President: Mark Sorensen
Mark Sorensen’s great-great grandfather settled in the Selma area in the early 1900s. Sorensen is a fifth generation farmer in the Caruthers area where he farms 365 acres of raisins and blueberries. He also operates his own raisin harvesting business.
Sorensen has served on a number of boards, including the Sun-Maid Raisin Board; San Joaquin Political Academy Board; Caruthers Fair Board, where he has served the last 22 years; and the Alvina Elementary Charter School Board. He recently learned that his great grandfather also served as a member of the Alvina School Board. In addition to his involvement with the FCFB Board of Directors, he is also serving on the FCFB Banquet Committee.
Sorensen also is a graduate of the California Ag Leadership Program, Class XXIII.
Perhaps one of Sorensen’s most rewarding experiences, though, was his involvement in putting together the Veteran’s Memorial in Caruthers. He had the opportunity to chair the committee that built the memorial, which contains the names of over 1,000 local veterans. He worked with community members, local officials and local businesses to fundraise and build the memorial.
Sorensen and his wife, Kim, have three daughters: Johannah, Elizabeth and Olivia.
Appointed By President: Shawn Steveson
Shawn Stevenson is the vice-president of Harlan Ranch Company, a third generation family farming and ranching located east of Clovis. The 1,500-acre Harlan Ranch is a producer of quality citrus crops, pistachio, kiwifruit and beef cattle. In addition to the family farming operation, Stevenson is the owner-manager of Stevenson Farm Management Company, a custom farm management company, specializing in progressive management of citrus, nut and vineyard crops.
Stevenson is active in local and statewide agricultural and industry associations. He served as president of Fresno County Farm Bureau from 1994-96, and was involved in many key FCFB projects, including the development of the Landscape of Choice land use policy document with the Growth Alternatives Alliance. As a result of his policy-level involvement and first-hand experience with urban encroachment into farmland, Stevenson has become the local spokesperson for agricultural on land use issues.
Stevenson is a past chairperson of the California Farm Bureau Federation’s International Trade Committee. Stevenson also serves on the boards of the Ag Energy Consumers Association (AECA), California Citrus Growers Association, Clovis Vineyard Christian Fellowship, International Water District, and Orange Cove-Sanger Citrus Association (a Sunkist affiliate).
Stevenson is a recipient of the Fresno County Agriculturalist of the Year award and the “Best Friend of the Cattlemen” livestock industry award. He is a graduate of Clovis High School and California State University, Fresno, having earned a bachelor’s of science in agricultural business.
Appointed By President: Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson, of Clovis, has more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural finance and livestock industries.
Thompson, of Clovis, is a graduate of Sanger High School and Reedley College. Since the early-1970s, Thompson has been on the staff of the Fresno Madera Farm Credit, serving as a chattel appraiser, specializing in non-real estate assets.
Thompson also has extensive experience in the livestock industry, currently serving on the boards of several organizations, including the Clovis Rodeo Association, Fresno-Kings Cattlemen’s Association, Friends of Rodeo, Champions Club and the Junior Livestock Auction Committee at the Big Fresno Fair. Thompson also serves on the Reedley College Ag Backers and the Ag Advisory Committee.
For the past 15 years, Thompson has served as the Livestock Commodity Chair for the Fresno County Farm Bureau. He also serves on the organization’s Executive Committee and as co-chair of the Public Relations Committee.
In addition, Thompson serves as an announcer for rodeos and horse shows.
CFBF District Director: Debbie Jacobsen
Third generation farmer Debbie Jacobsen is a lifelong Fresno area resident. She is an owner/operator of J&L Vineyards, a family-owned farm in the Easton area with 1,000 acres of raisin and wine grapes. J&L Vineyards was recognized as the Fresno County 2001 Ag Business of the Year, which is an award annually presented by the accounting firm of Baker, Peterson and Franklin.
Jacobsen has spent more than 35 years as a resident of the Easton area and is known for her strong commitment and passion for Valley agriculture and education. For the past 20 years, she has shared that passion with the Fresno County Farm Bureau (FCFB). From 2002-04, she served as the first woman president of the organization, where she focused on increasing the organization’s advocacy efforts on critical issues such as air quality and economic viability. Currently, she represents FCFB as district representative to the California Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors and serves on the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Board of Directors.
Jacobsen also is actively engaged in the Big Fresno Fair Board of Directors. She was appointed to the Board by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005 and currently serves in her second term as board president.
In education, she has held many leadership roles ranging from PTA president to coach to 4-H Club community project leader at both Washington Union High School and American Union Elementary School. She also served as a Central Valley Agricultural Literacy Project Steering committee member.
She has received several prestigious awards including the FCFB Distinguished Service Award in 1994, the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Volunteer Education Award in 1995, and the Easton-Fresno FFA Distinguished Service Award in 2002. In 2004, she was honored by the Common Threads Program for her philanthropic contributions to the agricultural industry and also was honored as a KSEE 24 Woman of Influence.
Jacobsen spends countless volunteer hours at agricultural-related meetings on diverse topics about production agriculture, providing the industry with valuable input. She has dedicated her life to creating a community that sustains agriculture and offers quality education.
Jacobsen and her husband Ray have been married for 31 years. They have three grown children – Ryan and his wife Ashley, Brandon and Megan.
Immediate Past President: Pat Ricchiuti
Pat V. Ricchiuti is President of P-R Farms, Inc. and Palomate Packing Company, Inc. of Clovis, California. Pat respectfully acknowledges his grandfather, Vincenzo, an immigrant from Italy, for beginning the small family business and his father and mother, Pat and Frances Ricchiuti, for establishing P-R Farms, which under their leadership grew into a vertically integrated and diversified farming operation. Pat, a third generation agriculturalist, has over 40 years of professional experience and continues the family tradition by specializing in the growing, packing, and shipping of almonds, peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes, apricots, apples, oranges, and olives. Pat graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1970 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business and Plant Science. Pat is married to Vinci Petrosino Ricchiuti and they have three children: Vincent, Cristina, and Andriana.
Pat is greatly involved in his community and is recognized as a leader in the agricultural industry. Pat has served Fresno County Farm Bureau in a variety of leadership roles. He served as a Director and First Vice President and is currently the Past President. Pat also serves as Chairman of the California State University Agricultural Research Initiative Board, President of the Garfield Water District, President of California Fresh Apricot Council, Chairman of the California State University, Fresno Agricultural Foundation, Director and Past President of California State University, Fresno Ag One Foundation, and as a Director for the California Grape and Tree Fruit League. Additionally, Pat is a member of the Nisei Farmers League, California Olive Committee, Kings River Water Political Action Committee, and the California State University, Fresno Plant Science Pomology Advisory Committee. Moreover, Pat serves as a Board of Trustee for Children’s Hospital Central California and for the Fresno State Bulldog Foundation. Pat is also a Director for the Foundation for Clovis Schools, member and Past Chairman of Clovis Unified’s Ag Advisory Council, and a past member of Clovis Unified School District’s Governing Board. Pat is currently a member of the Fresno Business Council, Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce, Clovis Chamber of Commerce, and the Clovis Rotary Club.
Over the years, Pat has been recognized for his many contributions to agriculture, education, and a host of philanthropic organizations. In 1977, Pat was recognized as the California Young Farmer of the Year. In 1985, Pat was the Executive Director Award recipient for Clovis Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, Pat was presented the California State University, Fresno Viticulture Award for Outstanding Service and Appreciation. In 2001, Pat received the California State University, Fresno Alumni Association Top Dog Award and in 2002 P-R Farms, Inc. was recognized as the Agricultural Business of the Year by Baker, Peterson and Franklin, CPA, LLP. In 2006, Pat was named Agriculturalist of the Year by the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. Together, Pat and his wife, Vinci, have received the Arthur Safstrom Award in 1992 on behalf of the California State University, Fresno Alumni Association and the Fresno Compact Outstanding Business Partnership Award in 1999. Pat and Vinci were also honored in 2000 as Guardians of the Year for the Foundation for Clovis Schools.
UC Cooperative Extension: Jeanette Sutherlin
Jeanette M. Sutherlin serves as an Executive Committee member for the Fresno County Farm Bureau, bringing to the committee 34 years of experience with the University of California Cooperative Extension, which has original ties to the formation of the county farm bureaus.
Sutherlin, of Fresno, serves as the director of the U.C. Cooperative Extension in Fresno County, supervising more than 45 staff, including 10 farm advisors.
Major areas of interest to Sutherlin are food safety, air quality, and children’s health issues. The University of California Cooperative Extension is a full partnership of federal, state, county and private resources linked in applied research and educational outreach in agriculture, foods and nutrition, and youth development. Tailored to meet local needs, Cooperative Extension's many teaching tools include meetings, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, field days, video programs, newsletters and textbooks. Thousands of volunteers extend Extension's outreach, assisting with nutrition and 4-H youth development programs along with providing educational opportunities through a large cadre of Master Gardeners.
In addition to her FCFB activities, Sutherlin is involved as a trauma intervention program volunteer (TIP), with Holy Spirit Church , and as chair of the California State University, Fresno Department of Food Science and Nutrition Advisory Committee.
Sutherlin is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor’s of science degree in home economics and a master’s of science degree in education with emphasis in nutrition from Fresno State.
Executive Director: Ryan Jacobsen
Ryan Jacobsen, of Easton, is the executive director for Fresno County Farm Bureau, overseeing the administration of the 5,000-plus member agricultural organization.
Jacobsen is no stranger to Farm Bureau or agriculture. He previously served as FCFB’s issues coordinator and as the organization’s membership coordinator.
Jacobsen is a honors graduate of California State University, Fresno with a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in animal science. While at Fresno State, Jacobsen served two terms as associated student body president and was recognized as the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Dean’s Medalist and Craig School of Business Graduate Dean’s Medalist.
Jacobsen is the fourth generation of two Fresno County farm families. He is an active member of the Easton Lions Club and currently serves as president. He also is involved with the Craig School of Business Alumni & Friends and is a member of the Ag One Foundation at Fresno State.
Fresno County Farm Bureau represents more than 5,000 members on air quality, land use, water, labor and all agricultural-related issues. Fresno County produces more than 350 commercial crops annually, totaling more than $4.8 billion dollars in gross production value in 2006.