There's a new president at the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, as Todd Fornstrom of Laramie, County was elected to his first term. The election occurred at the organizations 97th annual meeting in Laramie.
Fornstrom farms with his family. He and his wife, Laura, have four children. Fornstrom has served in many leadership positions within the organization including vice president. He also served as Laramie County Farm Bureau President. And he was active in the Wyoming Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher committee serving. And he served as state chair of the WyFB General Issues Committee.
The Fornstrom Farm near Pine Bluffs, Wyo., is a diversified operation with irrigated corn, wheat, alfalfa, dry beans and a cattle and sheep feedlot. The family also runs a trucking business, does custom harvesting, and Fornstrom is in a partnership and runs Premium Hay Products, an alfalfa pellet mill.
After being elected, Fornstrom commented: "I am truly humbled. Being part of this grassroots federation to make a difference for Wyoming's farmers and ranchers is an incredible honor."
He succeeds Crook County Rancher Perry Livingston who served 11 terms as president of the federation. Noted Livingston: "It has been my honor to serve you all as your president the past 11 years. It takes a lot of time, but the work done for agriculture and the lifetime friendships are invaluable."
Voting delegates elected Cole Coxbill of Goshen County, to his first term as WyFB vice president. Coxbill and his wife, Sammie, have three children. They run a trucking business, commercial spraying business and raise cattle.
Coxbill began his leadership in Farm Bureau through the Wyoming Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Committee. He is the out-going WyFB YF&R State Chair and currently serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Committee National Chair.
Byron Yeik, of Veteran, was elected to his first term as the Director-At-Large. Byron and his wife, Debb, run a diversified family farm/feedlot in Goshen County raising cattle, corn and alfalfa. Yeik is looking forward to serving on the state level. He is a former county president and state committee chair.
In addition to the three statewide elections, five district directors and the Young Farmer & Rancher state chair serve on the state board.
The Young Farmer & Rancher Committee elected Stacy Berger to her first term as the state committee chair. This position has a seat on the WyFB Board of Directors. From Albany County, Stacy and her husband Kyle have four kids and work on her family’s cattle ranch.
Rounding out the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors are district directors: David Garber, Northeast District Director; Kevin Baars, Southeast District Director; Tim Pexton, Central District Director; Glen Reed, Northwest District Director; and Justin Ellis, Southwest District Director.
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agriculture organization. The purpose of the Nov. 10-12, 2016 WyFB annual meeting was to develop policy to guide the organization in the coming year. Visit www.wyfb.org.