Wheat Week founder recognized

For nearly two decades, Kara Kaelber has been a driver of agricultural and conservation education in Franklin County and across Washington state. From the start of her career, Kaelber understood that agriculture is more than a livelihood — it is a legacy of stewardship, resilience, and innovation. That belief has guided her work ever since.

After earning her degrees from Washington State University and Heritage University, Kaelber joined the Franklin Conservation District in 2005. Over the years, she has worked her way up as an educator to education director, and now district manager, bringing vision, empathy, and unwavering dedication to both people and the land.

Kaelber is perhaps best known for her leadership in building programs that connect classrooms to agriculture. Wheat Week began as a simple idea and has grown into a statewide program reaching tens of thousands of fourth and fifth grade students each year. Wheat Week is a series of five lessons delivered over the course of one week, educating fourth and fifth grade students about water, soil, energy, systems, and wheat, as well as how they impact our daily lives and the lives of wheat farmers. During the 2024-25 school year, the Wheat Week program was taught in 24 counties across Washington state, reaching 21,631 students. By the end of this current school year, Wheat Week will have reached over 300,000 students in total.

On Jan.15, 2026, Kaelber was inducted into the Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame with the Ag Advisor Award. Upwards of 350 people attended the Ag Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash., to support and cheer on this year’s inductees. The 2026 Hall of Fame inductees also included Mike Meads, Steve Lancaster, Mike Poulson, and Fred and Lura Harris.

The Mid-Columbia Agriculture Hall of Fame was formed in 2000 to recognize and honor distinguished individuals that have made significant contributions to the ag community in the greater Franklin County region and its immediate surrounding areas. It is an event put on by the Pasco Chamber of Commerce and Port of Pasco, with a selection committee comprised of individuals from across the agricultural industry. Induction candidates are nominated by their peers and selected based on their outstanding achievements in the agriculture industry and their steady support of local and rural communities.

Kaelber joins recognizable names in the Ag Hall of Fame such as Doc Hastings, former U.S. representative, who was inducted 2024 with the Visionary Award. Walt and Tonie Neff of Neff Ranch were also inducted in 2024 with the Pioneer Award. Jim and Ann Moore of Kahlotus were inducted in 2018 with the Pioneer Award. Nicole Berg, District 5 Washington Grain Commissioner, was inducted in 2015 with the Young Agribusiness Woman of the Year Award.

Kaelber’s vision continues to grow each year, bringing conservation science lessons to schools across the state. Teachers and students alike enjoy the week’s lessons and learn something new.

“It is one of the highlights of our school year! It (Wheat Week) is so engaging, and students learn so much. We look forward to it every year!” said Kelli Black, fourth grade teacher at McDonald International School in Seattle.

“It would be awesome if the sessions were longer — students getting hands-on activities while learning about where their food comes from. Wheat Week is great!” said Eric Eddy, fifth grade teacher at Grant Elementary in East Wenatchee.

With the continued support of the Washington Grain Commission, Wheat Week is going to enter its 20th school year this coming September!