New members elected to Florida Farm Bureau Board of Directors

(Gainesville, Fla.) – Four new members joined the board of directors of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation following the annual meeting Oct. 28-30 at Daytona Beach. In addition, the board of directors reelected Mark Byrd, an Apopka nurseryman, to be its Secretary. Jeff Vermillion, a rancher from Marion County, was elected Treasurer. 

Jerry Davis, an diversified farmer from Jay, was elected to represent District 1. Blountstown farmer Henry McCrone, who produces peanuts, soybeans and cattle, will represent District 3. Brad Etheridge of Williston, who with his family operates a livestock backgrounding operation, will represent District 9.

Jacob Larson, newly-elected class president of the FFBF Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Group, also will join the board. Jeffery Hamrick, a Madison County rancher, will continue to serve on the board as immediate past class president. Michelle Williamson, chair of the FFBF State Women’s Leadership Committee, and Virginia “Ginny” Paarlberg, Women’s vice chair, will continue to serve on the state board.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s State Women’s Leadership Committee remains unchanged from last year. Michelle Williamson of Sydney was re-elected chair. Williamson and Vice-chair Ginny Paarlberg serve on the Florida Farm Bureau board of directors and Paarlberg serves on the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Ann Christmas of Chipley was elected to represent District 1; Norma Jean Parrish will represent District 3; Cheryl Flood of Frostproof was elected to represent District 5, Laurie Schuller will represent District 7 and Abbie Rolph of Century is the Young Farmer and Rancher representative.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general-interest agricultural association with about 140,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, nonprofit agricultural organization. More information about Florida Farm Bureau is available on the organization’s Web site, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.