Long-serving Farm Bureau president to retire

Feb. 27--After a half-century with the Louisiana Farm Bureau -- the past 31 years at its head -- Ronnie Anderson told his board Thursday afternoon that he would retire on June 28.

The organization, formed in 1922, has about 148,000 members to lobby agricultural issues at the State Capitol, support commodity research and discuss prices on a radio program. The federation is affiliated with the Farm Bureau Insurance company.

Anderson will continue to serve on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors as an ex officio member through June 2021.

Anderson also has been on the LSU Board of Supervisors since July 1997 when appointed by Gov. Mike Foster. He was chairman from 2000 to 2002. He was last reappointed By Gov. Bobby Jindal. His term on the LSU Board expires on June 1.

"My term will be ending but it is up to the governor whether or not he wants to reappoint me," Anderson said of his post on the 16-member board that determines fees, hires and fires coaches and executives and otherwise oversees policy at LSU. The governor's office didn't immediately respond to query asking Go.v John Bel Edwards' intentions.

The 71-year-old grew up on a dairy farm near Ethel in East Feliciana Parish and returned to join the family business after graduating from LSU in 1970 for Bachelor of Science degree in animal science. He and his wife, Vivian, raise 400 head of beef cattle, horses, hay and timber in both East and West Feliciana Parishes.

He joined the Farm Bureau as member, served in his local branch then was elected in 1981 to the Farm Bureau board. He was elected president in 1989, in 1981 and began his term as President in 1989, succeeding James "Jimmy" Graugnard Sr., of St. James Parish, who was elected 1963.

"Throughout the years, I've been honored to help the cause of the people who provide our food and fiber every day. I'm leaving with nothing but gratitude to Farm Bureau's grassroots membership and no words could ever thank them enough," Anderson said.

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