Berkeley Boehne, a Shabbona farmer, was recently elected as the 17th president of the DeKalb County Farm Bureau.
“I’m looking forward to leading the Farm Bureau organization with the guidance of our board of directors and professional staff,” said Berkeley, who is passionate about his new leadership role as a 15-year member of the Farm Bureau Board.
He previously served as Farm Bureau’s vice president for six years, has been a member of the Executive Committee for eight years, and is a past director of the Farm Bureau Foundation.
In other leadership, Berkeley is a graduate of the Illinois Agriculture Leadership Foundation Class of 2018.
Berkeley farms with his brother Vaughn in a diversified grain and livestock operation. They also own a trucking business which primarily hauls and applies livestock manure to area farms.
“My lifelong goal and career since grade school was to be a farmer,” said Berkeley. “Agriculture is so important to the world but we’re such a small group of people that make it work.”
On the homefront, Berkeley has two teenage daughters, Avery and Madison. He enjoys watching them play softball and basketball and is supportive of their school activities.
Berkeley’s Farm Bureau involvement began at the young age of 28 when he was first elected as a director from Shabbona Township in November, 2007. Now, 44, he has the experience and drive to lead the county organization.