NFU Delegates Reelect Larew, Kippley to Leadership Posts

Leadership continuity signals a steady focus on family farm advocacy.

A female pig farmer with dirty boots is photographed from the waist up, straddling a pig pen fence, with a white bucket of slop on the ground beside her, sitting on a bed of hay. A little girl is standing on the other side of the white bucket.

FarmHER Jen Welch (Season 1, Episode 2)

FarmHER, Inc.

NEW ORLEANS, La. (RFD NEWS) — Delegates to the National Farmers Union’s 124th Anniversary Convention here unanimously reelected Rob Larew as president and Jeff Kippley as vice president, extending both leaders’ terms for another two years.

Larew, who farms in West Virginia, begins his fourth term leading NFU after focusing the organization on member engagement and policy advocacy during his tenure. His leadership has included expanding outreach to younger producers and advancing the Fairness for Farmers campaign to address consolidation concerns across agriculture.

Kippley, a South Dakota producer who raises cattle, corn, and soybeans, enters his third term as vice president while continuing to operate a tax business serving family farms in his region.

For producers, leadership continuity signals a continued emphasis on family farm policy priorities, including competition, market access, and rural advocacy, as federal farm policy discussions intensify.

Looking ahead, NFU leadership is expected to remain active in Washington as lawmakers continue work on farm policy, trade issues, and input cost pressures facing producers nationwide.

Related Stories
Elizabeth Strom of the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers joined RFD-TV to provide the latest perspective on post-harvest business planning and cropland markets in the Midwest.
Mary-Thomas Hart, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, discusses the latest WOTUS developments and their implications for agriculture.
A massive rail merger could significantly impact North American agriculture and trade flows.
Urea and phosphate see the biggest price relief from tariff exemptions, but nitrogen markets remain tight, and spring demand will still dictate pricing momentum.
Lower turkey and wheat prices helped ease Thanksgiving costs, but underlying farm-sector pressures remain significant.
Shawn Haney, Host of RealAg Radio on Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147, joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report with the latest news from Canada impacting the ag sector.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The total value of the U.S. potato crop was $4.60 billion in 2024, representing an 8% decrease from the previous year.
Crop-specific shifts and strong prices highlight the variability of this year’s fruit and tree nut harvest, according to USDA data.
The decline in production marks the second consecutive year of contraction in the U.S. turkey industry.
The USDA noted that peanut edible utilization season-to-date is down 3% on the year, despite overall stocks increasing.
A booming butterfat market is good for some dairy products but threatens efficiency and margins for cheesemakers unless protein levels catch up
U.S. Farmers Navigate Harvest Pace, Costs, Policy Shifts