Randy Veach, Rich Hillman Re-elected To Lead Arkansas Farm Bureau

The Arkansas Farm Bureau’s top two leaders will continue to serve in their current roles.

Randy Veach was re-elected to his seventh term as Farm Bureau president on Friday (Dec. 5) at the group’s annual convention held in Hot Springs. Rich Hillman was re-elected to serve as vice-president.

Veach, 64, of Manila (Mississippi Co.) is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 10th president since its creation in 1935. Veach farms cotton, soybeans, rice, wheat, corn and milo in and around the community of Lost Cane near Manila. He is a third-generation farmer and he and his wife, Thelma, farm with their son Brandon.

“I’m humbled to continue to serve this great organization and the hardworking farmers and ranchers who are the backbone of this state’s economy,” Veach said. “I’m deeply committed to agriculture and understand the great responsibility we have to advocating and strengthening the interests of agriculture. Thank you so much.”

Hillman, 51, hails from Carlisle (Lonoke Co.) and is a sixth-generation farmer. His main crops are rice, soybeans and wheat. He and his wife Tina have two grown children, Collin and Caroline.

The voting delegates re-elected five board members to new two-year terms.

They include: Joe Christian, Jonesboro (Craighead Co.); Terry Dabbs, Stuttgart (Arkansas Co.); Tom Jones, Pottsville (Pope Co.); Rusty Smith, Des Arc, (Prairie Co.); and Leo Sutterfield, Mountain View (Stone Co.).

The new board members are Caleb Plyler of Hope (Hempstead Co.) and Dan Wright of Waldron (Scott Co.). Plyler, 34, is a rancher with more than 300 Charolais cattle and hay on his 1,362 acres.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau is the largest agricultural advocacy organization in the state.