Director, Division 4 — Modesto Irrigation District

Jake Wenger is a fourth generation farmer in the Wood Colony area just west of Modesto.  He, along with his dad and brother, farm the same land that has been in his family for over 100 years. 

Jake has been active in multiple community organizations and has served as the Modesto City Schools Agriculture Advisory Committee Chairman, Stanislaus County Farm Bureau 2^nd Vice President, and National Ag Science Center Board of Directors.  Jake is the current Vice President of the Modesto Irrigation District Board of Directors and has served the northwest Modesto, Salida and Wood Colony communities on the MID Board for the last 4 years.

Jake and his wife of 10 years, Juliana, are the proud parents of three children.

As the fourth generation on the family farm, I am no stranger to hard work.  Being elected to the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors four years ago, I knew it would take a lot of hard work to bring MID into strong financial standing and to fight to keep our water from being taken by state bureaucrats.  I am proud to say that since first being elected, MID debt has been reduced by $250 million, nearly $20 million has been added to reserves, and the budget has been reduced by $16million; and all this has been accomplished with no electric rate increases.

However, there is still more work to do.  The relicensing of Don Pedro Reservoir continues to provide challenges to the district, not to mention the tremendous threat to our water by the State Water Resources Control Board.  I have been, and will continue to be, at the forefront of these battles and fight for all Modesto Irrigation District ratepayers.

If re-elected, I will fight to protect our water rights and pursue strategies to see MID succeed without electric rate increases.