Farm bureau’s head departs; Ramos takes reins

Amanda Priest, executive director of the Merced County Farm Bureau, will end her tenure in that position this month as she prepares for a move to Oklahoma.

Priest, who began as executive director in 2010, will work her last day Dec. 23. She and her husband, Curtis, will relocate to Oklahoma, where he was selected for an exclusive pilot slot with the U.S. Air Force. While in Oklahoma, Amanda Priest will focus on graduate classes.

The Merced County Farm Bureau serves as an independent advocacy group that supports policies and legislation that benefit agriculture.

Gino Pedretti, a vice president on the farm bureau board, said Priest’s work has impressed him.

“She’s definitely taught me a lot about different subjects and made me a better board member,” he said. “I think she’s done a very good job, and it’s been a very vital part of giving the farm bureau leadership.”

Priest, a Merced native, said connecting local leaders to farm bureau members was the highlight of her job.

“Finding that balance where growers can continue to prosper in the midst of so much hardship has been and will continue to be the driving force behind my efforts and MCFB as a whole,” she said.

Priest served as a voice for farm bureau members during many hot-button policy items, including Los Banos’ consideration of making Highway 152 a toll road, Merced County’s groundwater ordinance and lawsuits affecting the California High Speed Rail Authority.

“These last six years have been exhilarating, challenging, and I am left with a vast amount of knowledge that I plan to take on this new adventure,” Priest said.

The farm bureau board of directors unanimously endorsed Breanne Ramos to replace Priest. Ramos will begin her role Jan. 4.

Ramos, a Los Banos native, began working at the farm bureau as a program assistant last year, spearheading projects such as the Irrigated Lands Program, Farm News, and FARM2U Day.

“She embodies the spirit of the farm bureau mission and brings fresh energy and passion to our organization,” Priest said in an email statement about the leadership change.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Farm bureau’s head departs; Ramos takes reins."