New leadership: Coxbill set to lead YF&R

Orlando, Fla. – Cole Coxbill, a farmer/rancher from Goshen County, was elected as national Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Committee Chair during the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show held Jan. 8-13 in Orlando. Fla.

As the newly elected chair, Coxbill had the opportunity to introduce the finalists and announce the winners of the YF&R Competitions in front of more the 6,000 farmers and ranchers during the Closing Session of the convention.

He will serve a one-year term as YF&R Chair and will serve on the AFBF Board of Directors as well.

Coxbill and his father raise corn, alfalfa, sugar beets, dry edible beans and wheat, and they have a cow/calf operation and a feedlot. Coxbill also owns a commercial spraying and trucking business.  He and his wife Sammie have three children.

The young farmer said he became involved in Farm Bureau YF&R when a Wyoming Farm Bureau board member encouraged him to attend an all-expense paid trip to the AFBF YF&R National Conference.

“I thought we’d just hear some speakers on insurance, but we had amazing speakers about agricultural issues, including Mary Kay Thatcher, senior director of congressional relations for American Farm Bureau. What she had to say really resonated with me, and I realized I needed to get more involved,” he says.

Indeed, Coxbill sees that getting involved is critical to let the public know about agriculture.

“Farmers and ranchers are getting closer and closer to being only one percent of the population in this country. We have to tell our story,” Coxbill urges. “We need to promote what we do.”

He says he never hesitates to educate the public about what he does.

“It’s important not only to talk about what we do but also why we do it,” he says.

Coxbill believes one of the greatest challenges to young people in agriculture is the cost.

He explains, “Agriculture is a very capital-intensive business and many young people who want to get into agriculture can’t afford to do so, at least not on the production level.”

His first official duty will be presiding over the AFBF YF&R Conference in Kansas City, Kan. in February.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be voted in by my peers on the YF&R Committee,” the young farmer says. “It’s a great feeling, and I will do the best job possible. It’s important to keep the YF&R program strong and growing.”

Rebecca Colnar is a correspondent for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.