The Kentucky Farm Bureau Board of Directors appointed Shane Wiseman, current president of Clark County Farm Bureau, as its newest director during the April executive meeting. Wiseman’s term is effective immediately, filling the remainder of the term for the board seat left vacant from the recent passing of John C. Hendricks, former District 9 Director and First Vice President.

“I am excited to welcome such an outstanding and talented individual like Mr. Wiseman to our board,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau President, Mark Haney. “Shane has a proven track record as a successful young farmer and community leader, and Kentucky Farm Bureau will only benefit from the innovative thinking he brings to the table.”

Wiseman has been on the Clark County Farm Bureau board of directors since 1995, and actively serves on the Budget, Horticulture, Information/Public Relations, Insurance Services, Local Affairs, Membership, Policy Development, Political Education and Scholarship committees in addition to his duties as president. He is also a member of the State Beef Cattle Advisory Committee for Kentucky Farm Bureau, and chairman of Clark County’s Ag Development Council, Vice President of the Soil Conservation Board, Vice Chairman of the Farmer’s Market Board, a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Both he and his wife, Stephanie, are members of their county’s Cattleman’s Association.

Raised on a 500-acre farm, Wiseman is the fourth generation to farm on family land. He took over the reins in 1992 after his father decided to pursue an off-farm job, and expanded the operation by renting farmland and raising cattle on shares with two landlords. He purchased a house and his first 38 acres in 1997, but he and his wife now own, manage and rent over 3,400 acres where they produce beef cattle, hay, corn, soybeans, wheat and tobacco. The Wisemans are large-scale tobacco and feeder cattle producers, with 42 acres of tobacco – building a series of greenhouses to grow 35 acres of tobacco plants – and more than 600 head of feeder steers.

At the 2009 Kentucky Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Shane and Stephanie were honored as the second place recipients of the Outstanding Young Farm Family, an award based primarily on farm management skills, financial growth, plus Farm Bureau and community involvement.

Wiseman holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Eastern Kentucky University and also earned a Master’s Degree in Agriculture from the University of Kentucky. He and his wife have two sons, ages 9 and 3, and a six-year-old daughter.