Empowering leaders safeguards agriculture's future

By Zippy Duvall

Farmers and ranchers understand it can take generations to build something that lasts. For example, when I look over my family farm, I can see the decades of hard work my grandfather and father poured into this land. Where there were once ditches and gullies, there are now rolling green hills. Those who came before me understood that their efforts weren’t just for themselves but for the generations to come.

This same principle of investing in the future is also a cornerstone of Farm Bureau. Our foundation was not built overnight but forged by a long line of leaders dedicated to those who would follow. 

Believe it or not, I was once a young leader myself, but I wouldn’t have stepped up without encouragement from family and Farm Bureau. I was a product of the leadership pipeline through our Young Farmers & Ranchers program at Farm Bureau, from the county all the way to the national level. But it took extra encouragement for me to take the next step on my leadership journey. 

It all started when my dad brought me along to a Farm Bureau meeting. He told me that if I wanted to make a difference for my farm and my community, I needed to get outside my fencerows. I took his advice, went to my first Farm Bureau meeting and came home as the chair of my county’s Young Farmer committee.

The leadership development programs and opportunities at Farm Bureau helped shape me and gave me the confidence and inspiration to serve in my community and at every level of the federation—from the county to the state to the national level. Just like membership begins at the county level in Farm Bureau, so does leadership—and my county Farm Bureau played a pivotal role in shaping my path. 

Thanks to the encouragement of family, friends and other leaders, I kept taking the next step on my Farm Bureau journey, starting way back in 1982, when my local program coordinator came out to my farm and encouraged me to apply for the Young Farmer contest. When my late wife, Bonnie, and I won the national award at the American Farm Bureau Convention, I could not have imagined the path ahead. But our family stepped out in faith, and we kept taking each opportunity the Lord gave us. 

Those early days in my Farm Bureau journey also gave me friendships that have lasted a lifetime. We talk a lot about family in Farm Bureau, and it takes a family to grow as a leader. My best advice for anyone looking to take the next step on their leadership journey in agriculture: Invest time building relationships with your Farm Bureau family. No matter where your journey takes you, this family will be right there by your side. Your Farm Bureau family will help lift you up in the hard times, and we will cheer you on and work with you to achieve great things for our communities and our country.

To our young leaders across agriculture, I am so very proud of each one of you for stepping up. You all are critical to the success of American agriculture and our mighty federation. 

Remember that Farm Bureau has the resources and training to help empower you in the next level of your leadership journey. Every member has access to free tools and training through Farm Bureau University, where online modules are designed to fit into your busy day. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your county, state and national Farm Bureau. We are all here to serve you and to help spur you on. 

And to those of us who are just young at heart, let’s keep encouraging the next generation. If we want to secure a strong future for agriculture and Farm Bureau, we must do more than recognize rising leaders; we must empower their leadership journey. I urge you to consider who you might help bring along and encourage to take the next step as a leader. Remember: Leadership doesn’t just happen; it’s cultivated.

The future growth of our federation depends on rising leaders, those who are ready to answer the call and face both the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow. Right now, we are facing some tough times in agriculture. We need young leaders to bring innovative ideas, strong voices and the determination to secure our sustainable food, fiber and renewable fuel supply.

The good news is that we have countless folks ready to carry the torch. We just need to tap them on the shoulder, give them opportunities to grow, and equip them with the skills and confidence they need. A lot of us, including me, wouldn’t be where we are today without the encouragement of the leaders who came before us. Now is the chance for us to do the same and empower our rising leaders.

Vincent “Zippy” Duvall, a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Georgia, is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.