Delegates to the National Farmers Union have elected Rob Larew to succeed Roger Johnson as the organization’s president during the 118th convention in Savannah, Georgia.
Patty Edelburg, a Wisconsin dairy farmer, was re-elected to serve a second term as vice president. Larew and Edelburg’s two-year terms began March 2 and will conclude at NFU’s 120th Anniversary Convention in 2022, at which point both may seek re-election.
“I am so honored that the farmers and ranchers, rural Americans, and advocates who make National Farmers Union all that it is have entrusted me with this great responsibility,” Larew said. “Under Roger’s leadership, this organization has grown and flourished. I look forward to building on those accomplishments to further expand the reach and strengthen the reputation of Farmers Union.”
Larew, who was raised on a West Virginia dairy farm, served as NFU’s senior vice president of public policy and communications since fall 2016. In that role, he oversaw the organization’s legislative advocacy in Congress and the executive branch as well as its public relations activities. Prior to his employment with NFU, Larew served over 22 years as a staff member in Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most recently as the staff director of the House Committee on Agriculture.