NORTHWEST MISSOURI FARMER BLAKE HURST, MISSOURI FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT, WAS ELECTED TO THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION (AFBF) BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE 92ND ANNUAL MEETING THIS WEEK IN ATLANTA, GA. IN HIS POSITION AS A DIRECTOR ON THE BOARD OF THE NATION’S LARGEST FARM ORGANIZATION, HURST WILL REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF 12 MIDWESTERN STATE FARM BUREAUS. HURST, IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS MISSOURI FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT, WILL FILL THE SEAT VACATED BY DEXTER, MO., FARMER CHARLIE KRUSE WHO RETIRED IN DECEMBER. THE AFBF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETS BIMONTHLY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AT THE ORGANIZATION’S NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS. THE BOARD ENSURES THE POLICIES ADOPTED BY THE FARMER AND RANCHER VOTING DELEGATES NATIONWIDE ARE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOLLOWED BY THE STAFF WHO WORKS TO IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES IN CONGRESS. HURST, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE JULIE ARE IN A FAMILY FARMING OPERATION WITH HIS FATHER, TWO BROTHERS, NEPHEW AND SON-IN-LAW, FARMING 4500 ACRES OF NO-TILL ROW CROPS NEAR WESTBORO, MO. ADDITIONALLY, THE HURSTS OPERATE A WHOLESALE GREENHOUSE WITH THEIR DAUGHTER, SELLING BEDDING PLANTS IN FOUR STATES.