Annette Voth is partner in family farm business
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Annette Voth enjoyed doing chores while growing up on a farm in southwest Marion County. That love of the outdoors stayed with her throughout her years of college and eventually drew her back to the farm.
Now a full-time ag- loan/compliance officer at Peabody State Bank, Voth has a master's degree in range management.
After graduating from Goessel High School, she attended Bluffton College in Ohio for two years.
She spent a year in voluntary service in a hospital in Oklahoma City, Okla., then attended Oklahoma City University, a Methodist college where she obtained an undergraduate degree in psychology.
Being young and free and anxious to spread her wings, Voth enrolled in the University of Idaho. The outdoors was pulling at her, so she chose to pursue a degree in range management.
"I was tired of being indoors all the time and wanted something more physical," she said.
While in Idaho, she worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Her job involved visiting mountain pastures to analyze the condition of grass being grazed. Sheep were the primary livestock in that area.
In 1979, Voth came back to Kansas to join the family farming operation. Several years later, Voth, her older brother Rodney (now of Hillsboro), and parents Arnold and Wilma formed a partnership.
She married Daryl Regier in 1982, who had his own farming operation. The two enterprises remained separate although they shared labor and now share equipment.
As a partner in the family business, Voth "did everything." She did field work, worked cattle, and repaired machinery. She especially liked working with livestock.
In 1987, Voth and her husband moved to his home place near Elbing, where they continue to farm today.
Voth started working part-time at Peabody State Bank in 1996. Now that she works full-time, she doesn't spend much time doing farm work except for occasional assistance at harvest time. She does keep the books.
She said she received "on-the-job" training at the bank. She likes her job and appreciates the people she works with.
As agriculture loan officer, Voth has the opportunity to review numerous farm operations.
"I like the perspective I get from working with other farmers," she said. "It's interesting to see how many different ways they can do things and still be successful at it."
Voth has two daughters. Jennifer is a senior at Remington High School and Margo is in eighth grade.
