Hello,  

My name is Andy Schwab, and I originally hail from Powell, WY. However, since 2019, I have been a resident in Billings, MT. I have technically only been a Farm Bureau member since 2024; however, I have been a Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance client since 2009.

ACE intrigued me the most because I was able to watch former ACE members develop into strong leaders and ‘come out of their shell’ after completing the seminars and graduating from the class. I was also interested in the leadership class, so I too could learn how to better lead. 

After graduation, I would like to utilize ACE to help educate others on the importance of agriculture in Yellowstone County and the entire Treasure State.

As a young person (according to YF&R standards), I think one of the most challenging issues that needs to be addressed is getting the next generation the tools needed to find a path into agriculture. So many folks my age do not have access to capital to start building their operation on top of high costs to even purchase property. I hope to work with lawmakers at the state and national level to find a way to formulate an incentive program that outgoing producers can enroll in which would give them a tax break after selling the farm or ranch to a qualified young producer.

Being from Yellowstone County, home of Montana’s largest city, I hope to extend my Advocate, Communicate, and Educate skills to the local community for educational purposes. I will work with the county leaders to develop a way to educate inner city residents on the importance of agriculture and why they need to be concerned about what is happening on the farm. 

Farmers and ranchers should always be honing their leadership and advocacy skills because the ag industry is always evolving. There are new challenges every day that producers should know how to tackle, and that includes making sure they are not stuck in a rut and think everyone is on the same page as them.