Upchurch re-elected State Farm Bureau President

 

Tennessee Farm Bureau delegates attending their 90th Annual Convention at Franklin’s Cool Springs Marriott, re-elected Cumberland County beef farmer Lacy Upchurch as their president of the nation’s largest state Farm Bureau organization. Upchurch was elected by the voting delegate body to serve his fourth two-year term as the seventh president of the 657,000-plus family members Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation.

Upchurch has served as the organization’s president since December 2005 when he was elected to that office by the Farm Bureau’s county leadership statewide. He began his service on the state board in 1995 representing the Upper Cumberland area of the state. He has headed up numerous committees at the state level, serves as a member of the American Farm Bureau Board of Directors, as well as being his county’s president for many years.

Prior to the announcement of his unanimous election by the voting delegates during the TFBF annual business meeting, Upchurch in his annual President’s Address to the voting delegates said, “We have had many challenges and trials this past year, but because of those trials, we are a stronger organization. The people in our organization, you leaders, agents, and staff, are the pinnacle of respect, honor, and integrity.”

Upchurch is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, receiving his BS and master’s degree in animal science. After graduation, he began his agricultural career with the UT Extension Service as a county agent in Madison and Cumberland counties.

He left the extension program to become a full-time farmer and began a successful swine operation. Upchurch later moved more into beef cattle production and currently is one of the county’s major producers. He is a native of Fentress County. Upchurch and his wife Kay farm near Crossville and have three children.

Danny Rochelle of Hickman County serves as the organization’s vice-president and currently is serving a two-year term. Rochelle has been a member of the TFBF board since December of 1995.

Others re-elected to the board of directors by the voting delegates were: Jeff Aiken from Telford, Charles Hancock from Bumpus Mills, Mrs. Catherine Via from Alamo, Malcolm Burchfiel from Newbern, Eric Mayberry from Hurricane Mills, James Haskew from South Pittsburg, Dan Hancock from Smithville, David Mitchell from Blaine and Mrs. Jane May, State FB Women’s Chairman from Newbern.

Also during the annual meeting, Brandon Whitt of Rutherford County was selected as the new state Young Farmer and Rancher chairman for 2011.