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Hailey Shultz is new outreach coordinator for Farm Bureau
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FAIRFIELD – Hailey Shultz is the new outreach coordinator for the Jefferson and Wapello County chapters of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
Shultz lives in Douds but is a native of Washington, Iowa, and graduated from Washington High School in 2020. The daughter of Kevin and Danielle Shultz, Hailey was involved in 4-H and FFA in her youth, and was a member of the Washington Go-Getters 4-H Club.
Though she was not expecting to end up in this line of work, Shultz said it has been gratifying to reconnect with her roots in ag, like when she showed sheep and other projects at the Washington County Fair. As a member of FFA, Shultz participated in state and national conventions and helped FFA organize events like Farm Safety Day and Ag Day.
Shultz continues to promote agricultural education in her role as Farm Bureau outreach coordinator. One of her responsibilities is to introduce schoolchildren to farming through a series called Ag in the Classroom, which Farm Bureau conducts in partnership with ISU Extension and Outreach.
“I talk to children in grades kindergarten through fifth about livestock, crops, and where their food comes from,” Shultz said. “We try to go to at least one classroom a week, and we try to visit all the schools in Jefferson and Wapello counties.”
One of the activities that kindergartners and first-graders do in March is to raise chicks.
In addition to Ag in the Classroom, Shultz is responsible for a couple of community events. Farm Bureau is a title sponsor of the Kenny Norton Southeast Iowa Farm Show, coming up this Saturday, March 1 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, and the Barnyard Bash at Maasdam Barns, usually in the late summer or early fall. Shultz is responsible for staffing a booth on behalf of Farm Bureau and helping to promote the events.
Another aspect of the job is charity and scholarships. Farm Bureau sponsors a scholarship every year in each county. Shultz is also responsible for being the general organizer for the Farm Bureau board. The board has 15 farmer members who enhance the organization’s mission, which is “People, Progress and Pride.”
Shultz said that, instead of a career promoting agriculture, she expected to go into a different line of work. She attended Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa to study radiology, and has done odd jobs after that such as working at a call center. Her first day as outreach coordinator was Feb. 3, and Shultz said she’s still learning the ropes.
“I’m starting to get the hang of things and getting into the rhythm of my responsibilities,” she said.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
