LITTLE ROCK — Rich Hillman of Carlisle was reelected as Arkansas Farm Bureau’s president, and Mike Freeze of Little Rock will continue as the agriculture advocacy organization’s vice president. Both were elected Friday morning at Farm Bureau’s 87th Annual Convention at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. Delegates also elected six other board members during the final day of the meeting.

A rice farmer, Hillman, 58, was first elected to as Farm Bureau’s president in 2019 and before that he served 11 years as the organization’s vice president. He first joined the organization’s board of directors in 2001. He is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 11th president since its creation in 1935. He is a sixth-generation farmer whose main crops are rice, soybeans and wheat. He and his wife Tina have two grown children, Collin and Caroline, and one granddaughter.

“I’m honored,” said Hillman. “Deeply honored. There have been many Farm Bureau leaders I owe a debt of gratitude to. I couldn’t do my job without them and their support.”

Mike Freeze, 69, begins his third 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 appreciate the confidence put in me,” Freeze said. “Working with our president and board members to further the goals of Farm Bureau is a vitally important job, and I want you to know I don’t take that obligation lightly. I’ll do my best to fulfill my duties as vice president.”

Board action later resulted in the reelection of Dan Wright of Waldron as Secretary/Treasurer. Wright, 61, raises poultry and grows hay. He and his wife, Belinda, have two grown children, Dustin and Megan. They have five grandchildren.

The voting delegates reelected six board members to new two-year terms. They are Sherry Felts, Joiner; Jon Carroll, Moro; Joe Thrash, Houston; Terry Laster, Strong; Chase Groves, Garland City; and Jack Evans of Lonoke. Also elected were two new board members, Jason Henson of Mount Judea and Bob Shofner of Centerton. Both men raise livestock.

Voting delegates also addressed a range of state and federal policy issues, including development of a statewide elementary school agricultural education curriculum; fully funding of the state meat inspection program; development of a statewide broadband map that identifies areas with service deficiencies; appointment of a broadband official by the governor to coordinate statewide broadband access; continued work to protect ag tax exemptions and low property taxes; opposition to increases in the federal capital gains tax; allow for the continued use of stepped-up basis; and beginning work to set priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of almost 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

For more information, contact: 

Steve Eddington
(501) 228-1383
steve.eddington@arfb.com

or

Rob Anderson
(501) 228-1640
rob.anderson@arfb.com