Georgia Farm Bureau president is elected president of American Farm Bureau Federation

Vincent "Zippy" Duvall

Vincent "Zippy" Duvall has been elected president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, "succeeding Bob Stallman who decided not to run for re-election after 16 years at the helm of the nation's largest farm organization," Spencer Chase reports for Agri-Pulse. "Duvall is a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Greene County, Georgia, who served as president of the Georgia Farm Bureau for nine years." Scott VanderWal was elected AFBF vice president.

Duvall told AFBF members after being elected: "We are American farmers and ranchers: the people that lead and feed and fuel the world. I know you're proud of it, but it is a responsibility that comes to my shoulders that I want to carry each and every day realizing the burdens that you're carrying on your shoulders.”

In October Duvall spoke with Brad Haire of Southeast Farm Press about why he wanted to be president: “What I plan to do and what we’ve already been doing is getting out there and really listening to our grassroots and state Farm Bureaus and seeing what they want their organization to focus on and how they want to move forward. Organizationally, we need to search ourselves and look for common goals that we all want to reach. And we’re seeking out and building relationships with key policymakers. . . . Our job is to speak for farmers when they can’t be at the tables where decisions are made that impact their lives and business.”

“The future of American agriculture is bright all over this country. We just have to find the areas of policymaking that are going to encourage growth," Duvall said. "The American Farm Bureau Federation president is the face of the voice of American farmers. He is going to be out and around not just the country but the world talking about American agriculture and how hard we are working, not only to protect our natural resources, but to produce the amount of food we need to feed additional population but also to talk about the quality of food we provide for them . . . and telling the stories of farmers and ranchers."