The American Farm Bureau Federation has selected Joby Young, a former Trump administration official with Capitol Hill experience, as its new executive vice president.
Sources told Agri-Pulse Farm Bureau employees and state affiliates were informed of the move Friday.
Young will replace Dale Moore, who announced his retirement in March. Both men were chiefs of staff at the Department of Agriculture prior to joining Farm Bureau; Moore held the role during the George W. Bush administration and Young finished his time at USDA as then-Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue’s top staffer.
In addition to being Perdue’s chief of staff, Young also spent time in the same capacity for former Deputy Ag Secretary Steve Censky, who is currently the CEO of the American Soybean Association. Before that, Young held positions in USDA Rural Development and the department's congressional relations office. Young is currently a partner at the lobbying firm Horizons Global Solutions.
American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall, Perdue and Young all have deep Georgia connections. Duvall is a Georgia farmer. Perdue is a former governor of the state and now chancellor of the University System of Georgia. Young has a bachelor's and law degree from the University of Georgia and later served as chief of staff to Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.
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In a statement, Duvall said Young "is going to be a fantastic addition to our team.
"He has more than a decade of experience in food and agriculture policy, from the halls of Congress to the highest levels of the Executive Branch. The Farm Bureau family will be well-served by his strong leadership skills," Duvall said.
Young is set to join Farm Bureau in mid-July.
Story updated to include Duvall statement.
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