The fact that Don Villwock, Edwardsport, announced he was retiring as president of Indiana Farm Bureau instead of running for another term was no surprise. He made it official a few weeks ago, but he has hinted from the beginning of this three-year term that he intended to retire once it ended. He confirmed recently that he made his mind up about retiring after this term as IBF president before the third term ever started.
Related: Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman won't seek reelection
What was surprising was his announcement late last week that he would enter his name into the running for the American Farm Bureau President's position. Election for the AFBF president happens during the National AFBF convention in January.
"I fully intended to retire from Farm Bureau and return to the farm," he stated in an email to supporters last week. He wanted people to know he didn't give up IBF to position himself to run for AFBF president.
What changed was when Bob Stallman, current president of American Farm Bureau, announced very recently that he would not seek reelection at next year's annual convention.
According to Villwock, potential delegates, especially from the Southeastern U.S., had talked to him and encouraged him to run for the position. They urged him to take his expertise to the next level.
While he envisioned retiring from IBF and returning to the grain operation in Knox County, he weighed the opinions of people who contacted him seriously. In the final analysis, he decided the right thing to do was to offer his name up for president. There is no word on who else will be running at this time.
Many people retire to spend more time with their families, especially their grandchildren. Likely Villwock had that in mind. However, he decided to pursue this new positon after Stallman stepped aside because of his grandson – but for a different reason.
He explained that he want to try to help make agriculture as good as I can for when he reaches farming age.