In this first episode of Season Five of Tuned in to the Land, host Michael Delbar sits down with rancher Katie Delbar, a former USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director and current member of the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Katie is also Michael’s wife and partner in ranching, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation. Together, they explore how life on the ranch informs leadership at every level, from federal agencies to statewide policy tables.
Katie shares insights from her career working alongside ranchers across Northern California, her firsthand experience navigating wildfire on working lands, and her role representing livestock and rangelands in California’s forestry and fire conversations. Together, Michael and Katie unpack how managed grazing, stewardship, and long-term land planning play critical roles in resilience, wildfire mitigation, and the future of working landscapes.
The episode also takes a look at what it means to be a woman in agriculture—balancing family, leadership, and service while helping shape the next generation of agriculturalists. Grounded, practical, and hopeful, this conversation highlights the people and partnerships needed to keep California’s working lands healthy, productive, and thriving.
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