Kelly Fogarty Tilma
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau Board Member and Immediate Past President
Kelly Fogarty Tilma
For Kelly Fogarty Tilma, agriculture has always been more than a career, it’s a family legacy built on resilience, hard work, and the hope of passing something meaningful on to the next generation.
As a fifth-generation rancher from Oakdale, Kelly and her family operate a beef cattle cow-calf operation, continuing a tradition that has been part of their family’s story for generations. Today, while raising her two young children, she hopes they will one day become the sixth generation to carry that legacy forward.
When asked to describe California agriculture in a single word, Kelly doesn’t hesitate.
“Resilient.”
It’s a word she believes perfectly captures the spirit of farmers and ranchers, not only here in Stanislaus County, but across California. Every year brings new challenges, many of which are entirely outside a producer’s control. Yet, time and again, agricultural families adapt, persevere, and continue producing the food, fiber, and fuel that sustain communities across the state.
One reality Kelly wishes more people understood is just how uncertain life in agriculture can be.
“Most of us in this industry receive one paycheck a year,”* she explains. *”Not every two weeks. Not every month. One paycheck, with maybe a few sprinkled in throughout the year.”
Unlike many professions, that paycheck isn’t determined solely by how hard someone works. Instead, it’s influenced by countless factors outside a producer’s control, weather, input costs, market conditions, regulations, and even events happening around the world.
“Things you have absolutely no control over often determine whether that paycheck is enough to sustain your family for the entire year.”
It’s that uncertainty, she says, that makes organizations like Farm Bureau so essential.
“Without Farm Bureau, there is no agriculture in California,”* Kelly says. *”Farm Bureau is our voice where it matters most, in Sacramento and beyond. They help shape the policies that directly affect our operations, our families, and our ability to continue farming and ranching.”
While Farm Bureau advocates on behalf of all producers, Kelly believes membership is about more than simply receiving the benefits of that work.
“Farm Bureau will represent agriculture whether you’re a member or not,” she says. “But farmers and ranchers aren’t people who like to ride on someone else’s coattails. If this organization is working for you, then step up, invest in it, and work alongside the people who are already giving their time and energy to protect our industry.”
That spirit of shared responsibility is one of the reasons Kelly has remained actively involved in Farm Bureau throughout her career. Having grown up watching her parents dedicate their time to the organization, she now hopes her own children will witness that same commitment.
“I want them to see that being involved matters,” she says. “Just like I watched my parents serve our industry, I hope they’ll grow up seeing me do the same and understand why it’s important to give back.”
When asked to choose her favorite California agricultural commodity, Kelly smiles.
“Beef. One hundred percent.”
For Kelly, beef isn’t simply what her family raises, it’s a reflection of generations of dedication, stewardship, and perseverance.