Arkansas Farm Bureau Selects Leaders, Sets Policy

Wright, Freeze and Dabbs re-elected as president, vice-president and secretary/treasurer

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Dan Wright of Waldron was re-elected Friday as Arkansas Farm Bureau’s president and Mike Freeze of Little Rock will continue as vice president for the agriculture advocacy organization. Both were elected during Farm Bureau’s state convention at the Hot Springs Convention Center. 

Voting delegates elected Mark Williams of Lavaca (photo here) to the state board of directors and re-elected seven board members, all serving two-year terms. They are Magen Allen, Bismarck; Terry Dabbs, Stuttgart; Brad Doyle, Weiner; Jason Henson, Mount Judea; Caleb Plyler, Hope; and Dana Stewart, Judsonia.

Williams owns an Angus cattle ranch in Sebastian County that has been in operation for more than 70 years. He retired from the Arkansas Department of Transportation as a bridge superintendent. He and his wife Elaine have two children, Greg and Christy, five grandchildren, and one great grandson.

Wright, 64, was selected for his second term as president. He has served 11 years on the organization’s state board, including four years as secretary/treasurer. Wright is a poultry and hay producer. He and his wife, Belinda, have two grown children, Dustin and Megan, and six grandchildren.

"I’m deeply honored by the trust our membership has placed in me to guide our organization into the next chapter of advocacy, education, and outreach for the state’s agriculture industry and rural communities," Wright said. "It is more important than ever for our leaders and neighbors to recognize the dedication of farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly to feed families across America and around the world."

Freeze, 72, begins his sixth term as vice president. He operates the Keo Fish Farm, the largest hybrid striped bass hatchery in the world. He is a past chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. He and his wife Betty have two grown daughters, Rachael and Kelly.

“I’m deeply grateful to our members for their continued trust in me,” Freeze said. “I’m excited to work with our president and state board members as we tackle the important and challenging work ahead for Farm Bureau.”

Board action later resulted in the election of Terry Dabbs of Stuttgart as secretary/treasurer, his second term in that role.  A row crop farmer, Dabbs has served on the ArFB Board of Directors since 2004. He grows rice, soybeans, wheat, oats and corn. He and his wife, Lori, have one son, four daughters and 10 grandchildren.

Voting delegates also addressed a range of state and federal policy issues, including increased funding for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and continued agricultural sales tax exemptions with added identification structure. The group also voted to support economic initiatives for rural counties, conservation district funding, private property rights and the right to farm. Delegates also approved policy supporting immediate economic assistance for farmers and ranchers, and a quick passage of a new federal farm bill that adequately addresses the current need of the agriculture industry. 

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 180,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

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Steve Eddington

(501) 228-1383

Steve.Eddington@arfb.com

Jason Brown

(501) 891-1475

Jason.Brown@arfb.com