Kathi Woodward
Kathi Woodward’s involvement can be summarized in one quote: “I love people, and to be around people.”
Kathi Woodward has a lot of pride in the family business. Machado Farms L.P. and Machado Dairy L.P., located near the rural community of Easton, is truly family-owned and operated. Woodward is the bookkeeper, her brother Arthur takes care of the day-to-day herdsman work, her husband Paul takes care of the farming, her mother Maxine helps out with the office work and her father Fred oversees the entire operation.
Agriculture has always been part of my life,” Woodward said. She started out with simple tasks when she was 11 years old, around the time her father started the dairy with 55 cows in 1970. A one time, the dairy was as large as 1,500 Holstein cows, but currently operates with about 800 Holstein cows.
In addition to the dairy, Machado Farms L.P. is a diversified farming operation. The family farms 800 acres, including almonds, grapes, silage corn and winter forage grasses. Woodward’s father, former FCFB President Fred Machado, began farming with just 20 acres when he got out of the Navy in 1955.
Woodward acquired a strong work ethic as a child growing up on the farm. Some of her routine tasks involved changing water, cutting hay and feeding calves until she graduated from Washington Union High School in 1977. She went on to Reedley College for two years, majoring in general agriculture.
Following two years in Reedley, Woodward decided to take time away from school to work for Safeway as a clerk, and later on went to work for the Fresno County Auditor Controller Treasurer for about five years. However, in 1987, she started to slowly acclimate herself back into the family business, and decided to return to school in 1988.
Woodward renewed her passion for agriculture, and graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business, with an emphasis in agricultural marketing. After graduation, she went back to the family business and has worked full-time as the farm’s bookkeeper ever since.
When asked why Woodward went back to the family farm, she said, “Because farming was in my blood and I needed to get back to my roots. I wanted my children to grow up with the same lifestyle I had growing up.”
Woodward has two children: Kylie, 12, and Matthew, 10. Matthew “loves the ranch,” she said, and is fascinated by the tractors and machinery around the dairy. Kylie likes the animals, and rides with her father Paul while he changes water during irrigation. “They really enjoy the summer time, because they get to spend more time on the ranch [because school is out],” Woodward said.
Woodward enjoys having her kids around during the summertime too. “I love doing things with my kids,” she said.
Following in her father’s footsteps
Woodward’s father Fred Machado served on the FCFB Board for 30 years. Starting out as the Eastern Center Co-Chairman, he would eventually become FCFB President from 1972-1974.
Woodward, recruited by past president Richard Geringer, was introduced to the Board in 1993 as a Director At-Large, where she was able to spend one year on the Board with her father. He retired from the Board that year, leaving Woodward to follow in his footsteps.
I love being part of Farm Bureau because it is a grassroots organization that is concerned with issues that affect farmers,” Woodward said. “I like to represent farmers on these issues and strive to find solutions to challenges that may arise.”
Woodward currently serves as a Central Region Representative and represents the Regions on FCFB’s Executive Committee. She also has served on the banquet committee and has assisted with the FCFB Ag Education Program’s Fabulous Food Machine presentations to local schools. She expressed that she wants to continue to move up within the organization.
Outside of Farm Bureau, Woodward is active both in her children’s school and her community. She is active with the St. Jude Catholic Church and St. Anthony’s School, and was a former director of the Ag One Foundation at Fresno State.
Woodward also provides Ag tours on the family dairy, providing a farm-to-table presentation for local grammar schools, including St. Antony’s school.
Woodward takes great pride in her Portuguese ancestry and culture. She is active in with the CPDES Hall of Easton and the Holy Ghost Association of Fresno. “I love to dance and attend Portuguese celebrations,” she said.
Despite all of Woodward’s hard work, she still manages to get away. She loves to travel with her family, including her husband Paul of 15 years. “There is a big, blind world out there and I want to see it,” she said.
Meet Your Board Members Profile: Ag Today, Jul 07
By: John Migliazzo