American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) voting delegates on Tuesday elected Vincent “Zippy” Duvall of Georgia to serve as their new president for a two-year term. Duvall succeeds Bob Stallman, the Texas rice grower, who decided not to run for re-election after 16 years at the helm of AFBF. Scott VanderWal was elected vice president as well at the 97th AFBF Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Duvall is a poultry, cattle, and hay producer and served as president of the Georgia Farm Bureau for nine years. He is the 12th president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. He pledged to AFBF members that he would “fight for (their) freedoms” around the world.
“We are American farmers and ranchers; the people that lead and feed and fuel the world,” Duvall said shortly after being elected. “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”
Scott VanderWal, who was also elected to a two-year term, is a third-generation family farmer from Volga, South Dakota, and has been president of the South Dakota Farmer Bureau since 2004. He said he thinks the Farm Bureau is “right on track as far as helping educate consumers and helping educate people that use our products.” He also said that he is looking forward to doing more to advance the cause of food security as a national security concern.
