Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach will not seek new term

Randy Veach, who has led the Arkansas Farm Bureau as its president for the last 11 years, will not seek another term. Veach plans to bring his tenure to a close at the group’s December annual convention.

“For the past 11 years, I have been honored to carry your trust and support while representing you as president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau. In fact, throughout my 20 years as a member of the ArFB Board of Directors. I have always been uplifted by a deep connection to the men and women of agriculture that Farm Bureau represents. I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve you in that role.

“After much prayer and reflection, I have chosen not to seek another term as president of Arkansas Farm Bureau and plan to close my tenure at our annual convention in December. It is an appropriate time for new leadership to step up and guide the meaningful and honorable work of the Farm Bureau,” Veach wrote to county farm bureau presidents in a letter dated July 1.

The powerful agricultural grassroots group will meet in Hot Springs on July 22-23 for an Officers and Leaders meeting. Veach said he wanted to make his intentions known ahead of the meeting to avoid “speculation and conjecture.”

“I would ask that you pass this information along to members of your county board, so that they are aware of these plans before we gather July 22-23 at Officers & Leaders in Hot Springs. I do not want speculation and conjecture to interfere with the work of the organization,” he said. “Please know I will not be stepping away from my advocacy efforts. I expect to continue to be active in Mississippi County Farm Bureau, I will serve as chairman of the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company until my term expires in February, and I was recently reappointed to a four-year term on the USDA Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade.”

Veach served as Vice President of Arkansas Farm Bureau for five years before serving as president. He said that he and his wife, Thelma, would continue to be involved on issues.

“Together, we make Farm Bureau the voice of Arkansas agriculture. As we’ve heard before in Farm Bureau, ‘the voice of agriculture is a whisper without everyone standing up together.’ Thelma and I will continue to stand with you and all of our farmers and ranchers. Thank you, again, for your unbroken trust, for your willingness to stand with us, and for your willingness to be a Farm Bureau leader. That has meant more to me and my family than you will ever know,” Veach wrote.