WISCONSIN DELLS – Taylor County Farm Bureau member Robert Klussendorf received the highest award Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation bestows on its members.
Klussendorf was presented the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s Distinguished Service to Farm Bureau award during the organization’s 104th Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells on December 3.
“Rob is an excellent example of the service one can give to Wisconsin agriculture,” said nominator and WFBF Vice President Joe Bragger. “Rob is the farmer and friend to all, willing to stand against any goliath to make changes that continue to benefit all farmers in the state of Wisconsin each year.”
Klussendorf’s involvement with Farm Bureau began in 1968 when he attended a Waukesha Farm Bureau meeting where former WFBF Director of Special Programs Don Armitage said, “If you do not like what is going on and don’t do anything about it, don’t complain.”
“That statement set the stage for the rest of his life, if there is something that needs to be done or changed to better Wisconsin farmers, Rob gets involved,” said Taylor County Farm Bureau Vice President Gary Kohn.
Rob’s dedicated service to Farm Bureau started with the Waukesha County Young Farmer Committee where he served as chairman from 1975-1978. Rob was then nominated and chosen to serve his district on the WFBF State Young Farmer Committee in 1977-1980 and was elected as chair from 1979-1980.
Rob continued his Farm Bureau service as a Waukesha County Farm Bureau board member from 1978-2012 where he served on several WFBF committees including a special committee on Young Farmer Finance, Policy Development Committee, Legislative Committee, VFA Committee, Ag in the Classroom Committee, Communication Committee, and was the chair of the Tax and Education Committee.
Rob also helped create the Farmer in the Classroom program which went on to be adopted by WFBF to become the statewide Ag in the Classroom program.
“Rob is the member that makes things happen instead of waiting for them to happen,” Kohn said. “Rob’s grandfather, Fred, was the first person to sign the Waukesha Farm Bureau charter, making the Klussendorf family the first members in the state. To Rob, Farm Bureau isn’t just a group of farmers, it’s family.”
Rob and his wife, Chris, now live in Medford and enjoy spending time with their daughter, son and grandkids.
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization and is made up of 61 county Farm Bureaus. WFBF represents farms of every size, commodity, and management style.
