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The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation named Tanner Wise of Buckingham County as its 2023 Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador. The group announced the decision earlier this month, at its annual Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach.

The Farm Bureau Ambassador program recognizes young adults for their interest and achievements in agriculture and provides an opportunity for them to serve as ambassadors for agriculture and Farm Bureau. Finalists are nominated by their county Farm Bureaus.

Wise is the son of David and Sherri Wise. He graduated with honors from Buckingham County High School and concurrently completed an associate’s degree in agribusiness from Southside Virginia Community College.

Now Wise is a first-year student at Virginia Tech, where he entered with junior class standing. He is pursuing a degree in animal and poultry sciences and hopes to eventually operate his own agribusiness.

In 2022 Wise was named a Virginia 4-H All-Star and received his Virginia FFA State Degree. Additionally, he was named the Virginia FFA Sheep Production Proficiency Award winner and won silver at the National FFA Convention for a Supervised Agricultural Experience project in sheep production. He previously served as president of the Buckingham/Cumberland 4-H Livestock Club and president of the Buckingham Senior FFA Chapter.

In addition to his academic achievements, Wise grew up working on his family’s sheep and poultry farm, Poplar View Farm LLC, in Dillwyn. His duties included assisting in vaccinating, deworming and maintaining the overall health of the farm’s sheep; managing a flock of free-range hens; and delivering eggs to local markets.

While presenting at the Women’s Leadership Conference, Wise said that, as ambassador, he will educate the general public about agriculture and highlight the importance of youth involvement in organizations like Farm Bureau, 4-H and FFA.

Wise will receive a $2,000 cash award courtesy of Colonial Farm Credit and VFBF. He will make public appearances representing Farm Bureau.

Faith Feazell of Franklin County was named runner-up. She is the daughter of Brian and Lori Feazell in Callaway and plans to attend Ferrum College in the fall and major in animal science.

Feazell will receive a $500 cash award.

With 133,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to supporting Virginia’s agriculture industry.

Contact Pam Wiley, vice president of communications, at (804) 291-6315 or Samantha Beard, VFBF Women’s Leadership Program coordinator, at (804) 290-1031.