Philip Powell has been hired as assistant director of public affairs and government relations at Arkansas Farm Bureau, where he will focus on local affairs and rural development and serve as a member of the lobbying team for the state’s largest agricultural advocacy organization.

Powell previously worked at Chonex, Inc. in Robertsdale, Ala., where he was an agribusiness production consultant, executive assistant and sales & operations supervisor. He rapidly progressed in the sustainable agriculture start-up environment, with increased business operations responsibilities.

Prior to working at Chonex, Powell managed a campus tutoring program at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana and was logistics account executive for Total Quality Logistics in Fayetteville.

“I’m excited and pleased that Philip has joined us,” said Stanley Hill, Arkansas Farm Bureau’s vice president of public affairs and government relations. “He is an accomplished young man with outstanding capabilities, which we will utilize to advance our local initiatives and program of work and further rural development efforts across our state.

“He will work on matters regarding broadband expansion and reliability, rural vs. municipal issues, county roads and land issues, veterans in farming and ranching, urban farming and diversity in agriculture.”

Powell holds an undergraduate degree from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He has served as a Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Family Mentor with Alabama Hands and Voices, a junior high lacrosse coach at the Northwest Arkansas Lacrosse Club and worked on the economic development task force for Thrive Hempstead County. He is an Eagle Scout.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization with 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