G.G. and Kim Kortes, of Carbon County, were awarded the 2017 Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) Leadership Award at the 98th annual meeting of the organization.  Presented Nov. 17, the award is given to those who have gone above and beyond in their agricultural leadership service in the organization. “G.G. and Kim make an incredible team,” said Todd Fornstrom, WyFB President. “They are dedicated to their faith, family, agriculture and to Farm Bureau.” The couple have a cow/calf ranch in northern Carbon County with their daughter Chalsey. “It is a lifestyle we really enjoy,” G.G. Kortes said.  “It is satisfying to know the beef we raise is helping to feed the country.” G.G. is a second generation Farm Bureau volunteer. His Uncle’s John and Donny were involved in Farm Bureau.  G.G. started attending Farm Bureau meetings at a young age when the Leo Local Farm Bureau was active.  As a couple, G.G. and Kim have been leaders in the Carbon County Farm Bureau since 1995.  G.G. serves as the county president and Kim now serves as the county treasurer. At the district level, G.G. has served as the Central District President for the past 20 years. Kim has served as district vice president in the past and both are always willing to serve on any committee needed for state annual meeting.  At the state level, G.G. served a one year term as the Director at Large on the WyFB Board of Directors in 1997.  He also served four years as the state chair of the WyFB Natural and Environmental Resources Committee.  In addition to Farm Bureau, they are very active in their church. Their daughter Chalsey is also a Farm Bureau volunteer leader. She currently serves on the WyFB YF&R Committee and as state chair of the WyFB Ag Tax Committee.  She also is a leader at the county and district level. The Kortes family believes it is important to be involved in Farm Bureau. Teamwork is essential to them whether that be attending meetings together or taking turns with one attending meetings and one taking care of ranch duties. “Farm Bureau involvement is a priority in our life because our livelihood is important,” G.G. and Kim stated. “Farm Bureau has such vision and can be at meetings to represent us.  We can’t attend every legislative meeting when we are home feeding cows and putting up hay.” “It is important being at home and doing the work and having the confidence that our voice is being heard,” they continued. Ensuring your voice is heard starts with involvement in Farm Bureau’s grassroots policy development process. Involvement and leadership skills are two of the elements that make G.G. and Kim highly deserving of this award, said Fornstrom. In his nomination letter, Central District Director Tim Pexton agreed. “G.G. and Kim keep Carbon County Farm Bureau functioning and see that everything a county Farm Bureau needs to do gets done.  They both attend and support WyFB meetings every year,” Pexton wrote.  The Kortes’ were honored to receive this award from the organization they love. “Receiving this award reaffirms what we do and what a great organization we belong to,” said G.G. and Kim. “We love the people in Farm Bureau.  “They are like family to us.  We are like-minded people that are all working for agriculture.” “Growing food is a great lifestyle and a lifestyle worth protecting and through Farm Bureau we can do that work,” they concluded. “The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is proud to honor G.G. and Kim Kortes with the 2017 Leadership Award,” Fornstrom concluded.  “We thank G.G. and Kim for their dedicated leadership on behalf of the Carbon County Farm Bureau, the Central District and the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation and Wyoming agriculture.” The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agriculture organization. Members work together from the grassroots to develop agricultural policy, programs and services to enhance the rural lifestyle of Wyoming.  On the web, www.wyfb.org.