WASHINGTON, July 14, 2015 -- American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman announced today that he will not seek reelection after 16 years at the helm of the nation’s largest farm organization.
In a news release, the cattle and rice producer from Columbus, Texas, said it’s “time to hand over the reins of leadership,” following his long tenure at AFBF, plus six years as head of the Texas Farm Bureau and in other Farm Bureau roles. He said his decision “is made easier by knowing the great leadership and foundation that exist to continue moving Farm Bureau forward.”
Stallman’s successor will be elected to a two-year term at AFBF’s meeting of voting delegates on Jan. 12 during the group’s annual convention and trade show in Orlando, Florida. Stallman is AFBF’s 11th president during its almost 97-year history.
“While the presidential gavel will change hands, what defines Farm Bureau will remain the same: our grassroots strength and our commitment to strengthening America’s agricultural and rural communities,” Stallman said.
AFBF said the federation has thrived under Stallman’s leadership, with nationwide membership up by more than 1 million member families, as well as more leadership development programs and initiatives to help build rural communities and their economies. The group said AFBF remains “the most visible, influential voice in the nation’s capital for farmers and ranchers of all types, sizes and regions.”
In the release, Stallman noted that there is a quote by President Thomas Jefferson on the wall of AFBF’s office that reads: “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness.”
“I couldn’t agree more, and I would add that a most rewarding pursuit is working for the men and women who make up American agriculture,” Stallman said. “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so.”
In addition to his Farm Bureau roles, Stallman has served on numerous boards and federal and state committees, including the White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, the State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, the Farm Foundation board of trustees, the board and founding leadership of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, the board of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, and the House Agriculture Committee’s Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture.
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