Following the final address from President Don Villwock Monday night at Indiana Farm Bureau’s annual convention, the words of appreciation flowed from Hoosiers and beyond as numerous people took to the microphone. Charlie Kruse, past president of Missouri Farm Bureau spoke, as did Larry Wooten, current president of North Carolina Farm Bureau. Based on their remarks one thing is clear. Villwock, running for president of American Farm Bureau Federation, is the right choice.
“Ladies and gentlemen I do not have to tell this audience gathered here this evening about Don Villwock’s knowledge,” said Wooten. “You know that. I do not have to tell you about his leadership abilities, or certainly his dedication to Farm Bureau and to our nation’s agricultural industry. We’re not here tonight to talk about Don Villwock’s retirement. I came all the way from North Carolina to let you know that we have much more work for Don Villwock to do. Our nation’s farmers and ranchers need Don’s leadership as the next president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.”
Wooten asked the gathered Hoosiers to call friends and colleagues in other states to encourage them to support the Indiana candidate because, “Don is a serious candidate for a serious job at a serious time in our nation’s history and the history of our organization.”
North Carolina State University chancellor and former Purdue provost and Dean of Agriculture, Randy Woodson told HAT there isn’t a better leader in America for American agriculture than Don Villwock.
“We’ve seen it firsthand here in Indiana. We know it in North Carolina as well. That’s why Larry Wooten is here, and that’s why I’m here, because we all love Don. This is a man who really understands the issues that farmers and ranchers face, so I’m hopeful that Don will be successful in being our next national president.”
Current dean for the College of Agriculture at Purdue, Jay Akridge, told HAT Villwock is a Purdue alumnus who has been connected to them in every possible way.
“He’s been a vocal advocate at the state and national level for our college,” he said. “He’s plugged in to all of our advisory councils. He’s been an active recruiter of students for us and he’s on the advisory board for the Center for Commercial Agriculture. Don’s just been somebody that’s always been there for the college, and he’s been willing to not only tell us what we’re doing right but to really give us insights on what’s happening in our state and where we can get better. And we really, really appreciate that.”
The election for the next AFBF president will be in Orlando on January 12th, 2016.