Finding My Voice - Amanda Martin

Hi, I'm Amanda Martin, and I'm tucked away in the little town of Ulm, Montana. Farm Bureau has been a part of my story for as long as I can remember. My dad was an agent, and I grew up watching him help farm and ranch families protect what mattered most. In 2019, I followed in his footsteps and joined Mountain West Farm Bureau as an agent myself.

When I heard about the ACE (Advocate, Communicate, Educate) program, something in me lit up. I knew this was a chance to grow…not just for myself, but for my community. The truth is, I want to be someone who helps keep family farms and ranches strong. Someone who can sit at the table with neighbors, leaders, and decision makers and speak up in a way that brings people together.

One issue close to my heart is succession planning. I've seen how hard it can be for families to pass their operation on to the next generation. Without a plan, legacies slip away and with them, pieces of our rural communities. My hope is that through ACE, I can learn how to be a stronger voice for those families, so the work and sacrifice of one generation can be carried on by the next.

I believe leadership and advocacy matter deeply in small towns like ours. Life out here isn't always easy, but it's worth protecting. And if ACE can help me grow in ways that strengthen the people and places I love, then I can't think of a better investment.