New Horizon Award Winners - Showcasing Innovative Initiatives Across the Country

The State Awards of Excellence New Horizon Award celebrates innovation by recognizing new and innovative state Farm Bureau programs. This session will showcase the 2025 New Horizon Award winners and their award-winning initiatives. Come learn what's working across the country and walk away with new and creative ideas for strengthening the future of Farm Bureau.

Group 1 – Delaware

Program Title: Educating through Specialty Crop Crates

Speaker: William “Bill” Powers, Delaware Farm Bureau President

Group 2 – New York

Program Title: State Annual Convention (StaCon) for NYFB

Speaker: Laurie Beach, Director of Events & Development

Group 3 – Minnesota

Program Title: Rural Healthcare Initiative

Speaker: Ruth Linkenmeyer-Meirick, Foundation Director

Group 4 – South Carolina

Program Title: Palmetto Threaded: Reweaving Agriculture into the Economic and Cultural Fabric of South Carolina.

Speakers: Jason Davison, Director of Organization & Loren Lindler, SCFB Young Farmers & Ranchers

Group 5 – Michigan

Program Title: Connecting Communities Campaign.

Alysa Sanford, Promotion & Education Chair, Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors

Tonia Ritter, Manager, Promotion & Education Department

Group 6 – Texas

Program Title: Early Ag Teacher Professional Development

Speaker: Jordan Bartels, Associate Director, Education and Outreach

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Speaker Details:

Bill Powers

Bill Powers operates Powers Farm in Townsend, DE, alongside his wife and son, where they focus on direct marketing their own beef, pork, turkey and eggs. Bill is a first-generation farmer. He grew to love agriculture after spending many summers on his uncle’s dairy farm in upstate New York.

His lifelong passion for agriculture has driven him to pursue various roles in the industry. Bill previously served as a New Castle County Councilman, advocating for agricultural issues at the legislative level, and as the second vice president of Delaware Farm Bureau. Currently, he serves as the President of the Delaware Farm Bureau, where he continues to support agriculture causes through lobbying and policy support.

Laurie Beach

Laurie Beach is the Director of Events & Development for New York Farm Bureau, where she oversees the organization’s signature events portfolio. She also leads the relaunch and revitalization of the New York Farm Bureau Foundation, guiding its updated mission, programs, and long-term direction.

She brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, fundraising, and organizational development, specializing in revitalizing programs, strengthening member engagement, and building sustainable event models.

She is also the Coordinator for the Promotion & Education Committee, supporting statewide outreach, volunteer leadership, and the committee’s 30-year legacy of agricultural education.

Laurie lives in upstate New York with her husband and enjoys reading, gardening, and visiting her three grown children whenever she gets the chance.

Ruth Linkenmeyer Meirick

Ruth Meirick is the Foundation Director for the Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture and works for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. Over her career with Farm Bureau, Ruth has been passionate about working with the next generation of leaders, promoting ag literacy, and making sure rural communities grow and thrive.

Ruth grew up on a farm in NE Iowa where her family raised corn, soybean, hogs and cattle. While she loves her work at Farm Bureau, she will always say she is happiest when she is at home on the family farm.

Through her tenure at Farm Bureau, she has led award winning work on Rural Resilience – mental health and opioid misuse, ag literacy & consumer education and agriculture engagement programming.

She currently serves on the Minnesota Governor's Task Force for Food, Safety and Defense, American Farm Bureau Farm State of Mind Sounding Board and the University of Minnesota - Extension Plant Steering Committee. Ruth has two daughters and lives in Kasson, MN.

Jason Davison

Jason is a dedicated professional with a passion for agriculture and serving Farm Bureau members. With over 13 years of experience in Farm Bureau, Jason has developed a strong expertise in building member involvement and program development. Currently, he serves as the Director of Organization at the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, where he oversees the organizational development through the District field staff, member leadership programs, and membership recruitment and retention efforts. Jason is a “Double Gator” by earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Agriculture Education and Communication from the University of Florida. He is also an alumnus of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Leadership Institute, and the Natural Resources Leadership Institute. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Katie, their seven children, and five grandchildren, as well as supporting Gator athletics to victory.

Tonia Ritter

Tonia Ritter is the Promotion & Education Department Manager for Michigan Farm Bureau, where she leverages 25 years of experience in agricultural leadership, program development, and volunteer engagement. Throughout her career, she has led major statewide efforts like Ag Day at the Capitol and Connecting Communities while spearheading innovative educational programs including the FARM Science Lab and FARM Crate program. Her background spans legislative advocacy, communications, and organizational leadership, giving her a comprehensive perspective on member needs and industry priorities. Tonia and her husband Brad live in Byron, Michigan where they are transitioning their three sons – Trevor, Bryce and Evan – into the family dairy farm.

Jordan Bartels

Jordan Bartels serves as Associate Director of Education and Outreach in the Organization Division at Texas Farm Bureau (TFB). In this role, Bartels is responsible for the oversight and vision of all education and outreach programs involving K-12 education opportunities for students and teachers as well as outreach and education to general consumers. These programs include the Texas Ag in the Classroom program and TFB’s Doorways to Agriculture exhibit. She joined Texas Farm Bureau in August 2019. Jordan’s prior work included working with student organizations at both Texas A&M University and Baylor University, program development, and college-student parent involvement and support. Her primary work prior to TFB was serving students with learning disabilities. Bartels holds a B.S. in Agricultural Communications and Journalism and Agricultural Leadership and Development and an M.S. Ed. in Educational Administration, all from Texas A&M University. During her time at A&M, Jordan focused much of her work on curriculum and instruction and student development, working on projects during her graduate program that included curriculum development and program design and implementation. Jordan’s family is active in production agriculture as she and her husband work to continue the legacy of the family cow-calf operation that was established in 1890. Her favorite role is being a mom to her two young sons. She and her husband are excited to be raising the next generation of agriculturalists.