Oregon’s Iverson Selected To Chair AFBF YF&R

Jon Iverson was recently elected chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation's National Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. The Woodburn-area farmer says he's excited to have the opportunity to represent Oregon and all of the west.

"YF&R has been really important to me just because it gives an opportunity to grow young members, give them leadership training and skills, get them more confident in speaking and telling their story, or how to advocate for their industry. There's also the networking part, which is probably the best part of Farm Bureau. The ability to network with farmers from all over the state and country."

The year-long chair position means Iverson will have a seat on the American Farm Bureau Federation's Board of Directors while guiding the national committee in its activities for the year. The importance of engaging young farmers is paramount to Iverson, as running a farm gets harder and harder every year, especially when margins tighten.

"Yeah it's hard, but at the end of the day I wouldn't want to do anything else. The pride you have when you grow a crop, or you're able to carry your generational farm to the next generation, there's a lot of pride in that. I don't know where else you can get that."

Iverson's four primary goals for his term are membership engagement, mental health awareness, fostering international connections, and giving a strong voice to YF&R.​

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