Congratulates Georgian on national accomplishment, highlights Duvall’s efforts to foster growth for Georgia, U.S. agriculture economy

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-GA, today congratulated Zippy Duvall on his election to the highest ranking position in the American Farm Bureau Federation, an independent, non-governmental, voluntary organization governed by and representing American farmers and ranchers.

Duvall, a Greensboro, Georgia native, was elected to serve as American Farm Bureau Federation president at the 97th Annual Convention on January 12, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

During remarks on the Senate floor, Isakson highlighted his longtime friend’s efforts as president of Georgia Farm Bureau since 2006 to foster growth for all sectors of Georgia’s agriculture economy.

More information on Duvall’s role in Georgia agriculture and his election to serve as the American Farm Bureau Federation president can be found on Georgia Farm Bureau’s website here.

Isakson’s full remarks are included below, and video is available here.

“I am privileged and honored to commend Zippy Duvall, a great Georgian who just a few weeks ago was elected in the 97th year of the American Farm Bureau Federation as its 12th president. Zippy’s been the president of the Georgia Farm Bureau since 2006. He’s been a leader in our state for decades, and I’m so proud that he’ll represent agriculture throughout our country. He’s a cattleman himself. He raises hay. He raises broilers. He has run the Georgia Farm Bureau and been a great advocate for agriculture and farming in our state.

“He and his wife have four children and three grandchildren. He serves on the Farmer’s Bank Board. He served as the president of the Georgia Farm Bureau. He serves on the local Electric Membership Cooperative board. He serves on the Piedmont Soil and Water Board. He is a total public servant, and he is an outstanding advocate for agriculture and an outstanding representative of our state.

“The best example of Zippy Duvall that I know is if you ride through south Georgia – the heart of agriculture country in my state – and look at all the bumper stickers and all the pickup trucks, you’ll see a unique bumper sticker. Not mine, not a member of Congress, not the governor’s, but a bumper sticker that says very simply ‘Ditch the Rule.’ Zippy Duvall was one of the leaders in our country that took on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the so-called ‘Waters of the United States’ regulations from going into place that would hurt agriculture so desperately in our state. That bumper sticker became a slogan for agriculture all over the country and farmers have worked together to advocate on behalf of better agriculture without an overly oppressive EPA effect.

“I’m proud to come to the floor today and recognize a member of my state, a great farmer in Georgia, a great citizen of our country. Zippy Duvall will be the 12th president of the American Farm Bureau Federation and he’ll be the best president of the American Farm Bureau. I commend him and his family for all their sacrifice and effort, and I wish him the very best of luck in his endeavors as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.”