IOWA FARM BUREAU ANNOUNCES NEW GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, FIELD SERVICE STAFF

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Aug. 6, 2010 - Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) is proud to announce four staff promotions within its Government Relations and Field Service departments.

Joe Johnson becomes IFBF's Director of Field Service, replacing Pat Regan, who retired at the beginning of July following 22 years of service to Farm Bureau. Joining Johnson in Field Service is Tim Prunty, who becomes Regional Manager of six counties in southwest Iowa. Marty Schwager assumes Johnson's previous role as State Policy Advisor for Farm Bureau. With this transition, Megan Ritter has accepted Schwager's former position with Farm Bureau, National Policy Advisor. Ritter comes to Farm Bureau from the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers (CSIF), where she worked directly with Iowa's farmers to build and manage their livestock barns responsibly.

As Director of Field Service, Johnson oversees the department, IFBF's leadership development program and the young farmer program. He is responsible for recruiting, supervising and training Farm Bureau's 17 regional managers, directing the annual membership drive and delivering member service programs to county Farm Bureaus. Johnson joined Farm Bureau in 1985 as a regional manager in southeast Iowa, before becoming State Policy Advisor. The Wartburg College graduate lives in Grimes with his wife, Karen.

Prunty will supervise the operation of Farm Bureau's offices in Clarke, Dacatur, Lucas, Madison, Ringgold and Warren counties as Regional Manager. He will also work with county officers and committees to develop and carry out program activities and organize and assist with the annual membership campaign. Prunty joins Farm Bureau after serving eight years as a biology and agriculture teacher for Wayne Community Schools in Corydon, Iowa. A graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, Prunty currently resides near Corydon with his family. Prunty begins Aug. 23.

As State Policy Advisor, Schwager helps coordinate state legislative efforts and promotes Farm Bureau initiatives with the Iowa Legislature. He also works with county Farm Bureau campaign committees and the IFBF Political Action Committee (PAC). Schwager joined Farm Bureau as a regional manager in central Iowa and most recently served as national policy advisor. Before joining Farm Bureau, he spent 12 years working for the Iowa Pork Producers Association; he is also the past president of the Clive Chamber of Commerce. Schwager and his family reside in Clive.

As National Policy Advisor, Ritter will work with Iowa's congressional delegation and federal agencies on issues that affect Iowa's farmers. She will also work with county Farm Bureaus on national issues and coordinate Iowa Farm Bureau's activities with the American Farm Bureau in Washington, D.C. Ritter assumes this role with extensive experience in the national policy arena. Before working as Senior Field Coordinator with CSIF, she served as national legislative counsel for the Michigan Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF). She also assisted in implementing voluntary environmental management programs on farms through partnerships with the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program. The Michigan State graduate and her family reside in Bondurant. Ritter begins her role with Farm Bureau in September.