The scope of the National Grange extends beyond agriculture into conservation, health care and education, the organization’s new president says.

“It’s about making our communities stronger, about making rural America, and all of America, a better place to live,” Chris Hamp told the Capital Press. 

Founded in 1867, the Grange is a fraternal, nonpartisan organization with roughly 140,000 members across the nation in over 1,400 local chapters.

Hamp’s priority is to ensure that Grange policy resonates with communities and its members.

“The challenge often with established organizations is to make sure we’re building on the strong foundation of 157 years of history, tradition and action, but making sure we’re setting ourselves up to that relevance of tomorrow,” she said.   

Ag background

Hamp was born and raised on a dairy farm in Monroe, Wash. She showed horses and beef cattle in 4-H.

“I guess they say you can take the girl off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the girl,” she said. “I’ll always have that perspective and that background. I am not involved in agriculture currently, but that rural-small town-hometown upbringing is who I am and is what I know the best.”

Hamp retired in early 2023 as administrative services director of Spokane County District 9 after more than 30 years in state and local government.

Hamp earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy and administration from Western Washington University in Bellingham; a master of public administration degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.; and an associate degree of technical arts in fire command administration from Edmonds Community College in Edmonds, Wash.

Hamp and her husband, Duane, a past president of the Washington State Grange, live near Spokane.

Longtime member

Hamp is a fourth-generation Grange member.

“As a lifetime member, that’s one thing you aspire to, having the opportunity to lead,” she said. “It’s a dream come true to have that opportunity, and to be able to take the organization to the next step.”

She is a member of Tualco and Five Mile Prairie Granges in Washington.

She has been a national grange officer for more than a decade, including as program director and vice president.

The presidency is for a two-year term, with no term limits, Hamp said. Voting delegates of the National Grange are the presidents of the state granges. 

She replaces Betsy Huber, of Pennsylvania, who in 2015 became the first woman elected National Grange president.

Quilts of Valor

As national program director, Hamp helped connect the Grange with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, a national grassroots organization that works to give veterans and service members quilts in thanks for their service and as healing for their experiences.

Hamp’s experiences getting her father signed up to receive a Quilt of Valor for his service in Vietnam “made a huge impression on me.”

“It made sense — every Grange in the country is in a place where they can recognize and thank their veterans,” she said. “It absolutely is a great match.”

The future

Hamp describes her leadership style as “collaborative.”

She welcomes feedback from farmers and ranchers on Grange policy and efforts.

Recent focuses have included rural mental health, rural veterinary practitioners and rural health care practitioners. 

“It’s a vast array of policies,” she said. “Making sure we’re supporting and doing everything we can to keep our rural residents healthy and able to continue to do the life they love and want to do.”

She likens the presidency to receiving the keys to a car. When her term ends, she hopes to pass along the car in good condition, she said.

“That’s what we’ll strive to do, make sure the National Grange is stronger tomorrow than it is today,” she said.

https://www.nationalgrange.org/

https://www.qovf.org/