Members from Utah’s 28 County Farm Bureaus met recently in Provo to select leaders for the state’s largest farming and ranching organization. Delegates elected Cache County farmer ValJay Rigby as President of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation (UFBF). 

“I am humbled at the opportunity to serve this great organization and our industry. I look forward to representing our members to keep agriculture and the Farm Bureau strong. It’s a significant responsibility given the challenging nature of our industry, but I know that I and our other Farm Bureau leaders are up to the task,” Rigby said. “Farm Bureau is strong in advocating for agriculture everywhere because it is a true grassroots organization. We advocate not simply what a board wants, but more importantly, what is best for farmers and ranchers across the state.” 


Utah Farm Bureau President Valjay Rigby.



Rigby is a 5th generation farmer from Newton, Cache County, farming on land that was part of an original family homestead. ValJay farms alongside his brother and his children, growing approximately 1,500 acres of alfalfa, safflower, and small grains, as well as a beef cattle herd. Rigby has a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in information systems, both from Utah State University. He has also served as the Cache County Farm Bureau president, in addition to his local planning & zoning committee, local water company boards, and as a volunteer firefighter. 

Logan Wilde, a sheep rancher from Croydon, Morgan County, was elected to the State Board of Directors for District 2, representing Morgan, Summit, and Weber Counties. Wilde is a former state legislator and Commissioner for the Utah Department of Agriculture & Food. Also elected to the State Board of Directors was Russ Kohler, a dairy farmer and cheesemaker from Midway, Wasatch County for District 4 (Juab, Utah, and Wasatch Counties). Trevor Barnson, a rancher from Junction, Piute County was re-elected to two-year terms on the Utah Farm Bureau Board of Directors for District 6 (Garfield, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne Counties). 

Dot Jensen of Box Elder County was re-elected to the Board of Directors in her role as chair of the State Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Also re-elected were Stacey Wangsgard of Cache County for District 1 (Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties); Delaney Nalder of Davis County for District 3 (Davis, Salt Lake, and Tooele Counties); Tiffany McConkie of Duchesne County for District 5 (Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, San Juan and Uintah Counties), and Jennifer Marshall of Beaver County for District 7 (Beaver, Iron, Kane, Millard, and Washington Counties).

 

Newly elected to the Utah Farm Bureau Promotions & Education (P&E) Committee for two-year terms were Justin & Amanda Norr of Box Elder County for District 1; and Dustin Cox of Kane County for District 7. Ray & Mandy Smalley of Weber County were elected to a one-year term for District 2. Paige Norton of Salt Lake County (District 3); and Lacey Branson of Uintah County (District 5) were re-elected to the State P&E Committee. 

Brady & Amanda Spackman of Cache County were elected as the new chairs for the state Young Farmer & Rancher Committee (YF&R) Brady was also selected to serve one term on the Utah Farm Bureau Board of Directors, as YF&R Chair. Four new couples were elected to serve on the State YF&R Committee, including Jared & Reganne Briggs of Rich County for District 1, Melvin & Jessica Pearson of Tooele County for District 3; Lee & Jayla Hanberg of Uintah County for District 5; and Andrew & Maryann Blake of Washington County for District 7. 

Voting delegates also addressed a wide range of policy issues including positions on water, wildlife, public land management, agritourism, and more.