Louisville, KY (December 6, 2014) – Pulaski County farmer Mark Haney was re-elected president of Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) on the concluding day of the organization’s 95th annual meeting. Also re-elected were Webster County’s Eddie Melton as First Vice-President and Hart County’s Fritz Giesecke as Second Vice-President. They comprise KFB’s Executive Committee along with Executive Vice President David S. Beck.

Haney has served on the Executive Committee for 16 years and has been a state director since 1993. For years he chaired the State Resolutions Committee. He is a past president and current board member of the Kentucky Center for Agriculture & Rural Development, past president of the Kentucky Center for Cooperative Development and past chairman of the Kentucky Horticulture Council. Also a former president of the Pulaski County Farm Bureau, Haney and his brother, Don, produce apples and peaches near Nancy, KY, where they also raise beef cattle. They sell fresh produce from their orchards – as well as cider, jellies, baked goods and other products – at a KFB Certified Roadside Market located on the farm. He and his wife, Marlene, have two sons and a daughter.

Melton, a former president of Webster County Farm Bureau, is chairman of KFB’s State Resolutions Committee and Health Care Task Force. He also was chairman of KFB’s Farm Bill Task Force, which conducted statewide forums and sought input from Kentucky farmers on provisions of the 2008 farm bill. Melton additionally serves on the board of directors for Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company and Southern States Cooperative. He and his wife, Regina, have a daughter.

Giesecke serves as the chair of KFB’s Beef Cattle Advisory Committee and is a member of KFB’s Health Care Task Force. He also serves on the executive committee of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Giesecke has been an active member of the Hart County Farm Bureau for over 30 years where he has held a variety of leadership positions, including county president. He additionally served 25 years as county supervisor for the local soil conservation district. Giesecke and his wife, Lydia, have a daughter and a son, and farms in Horse Cave, KY.

Four new members were elected to the board this year: Terry Lawson of Rockcastle County and Cloyce Hinkle of Knox County will serve as district representatives, Roger Fannin steps in as representative of Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Agents, and Alan Hubble of Lincoln County is the new chair of the Young Farmer Advisory Committee.

Returning board members are: Danny Wilkinson of Adair County; Randy Chrisman of Anderson County; Marshall Coyle of Bath County; Jay Coleman of Barren County; Patrick M. Henderson of Breckinridge County; Nick Carter of Bourbon County; Betty Farris of Butler County; Tripp Furches of Calloway County; David McGlone of Carter County; Shane Wiseman of Clark County; Bige Hensley of Clay County; Kim McCoy of Cumberland County; Dr. Nancy Cox of Fayette County; Glenn Howell of Fulton County; Brandon Davis of Green County; Larry Thomas of Hardin County; Alex Barnett of Harrison County; Terry Rowlett of Henry County; David L. Campbell of Lincoln County; Russell Poore of Logan County; Joe Paul Mattingly of Marion County; Kelly Thurman of McLean County; Mary Kate Kordes of Muhlenberg County; David Chappell of Owen County; Scott Travis of Spencer County; and Carroll Amyx of Wolfe County.

Rolling off the board of directors are: Terry Gilbert of Boyle County, Holden Williams of Breathitt County, Mickey Sirls of Marshall County and Matt Gajdzik of Shelby County.

Leadership for two of KFB’s key advisory committees was also announced during the organization’s annual meeting. In addition to Hubble being named chair of the Young Farmer Advisory Committee, Betty Farris, of Butler County, was re-elected as chair of the Women's Advisory Committee.

The new vice chair of the Young Farmer Committee is Kent Moore of Daviess County, the new secretary is Trisha Campbell of Logan County, and the social media chair is Stacy Collier of Greenup County.

The Young Farmer Committee is comprised of both singles and married couples. Those members for 2015, including the officers, are: Jay and Trisha Campbell of Logan County; Matt and Stacy Collier of Greenup County; Matt and Amanda Gajdzik of Shelby County; Eric and Amy Holbrook of Breathitt County; Alan and Heidi Hubble of Lincoln County; Zack and Tiffany Ison of Mercer County; Jeremy and Christi Jones of Clark County; James and Julie Lyons of Scott County; Kent and Danya Moore of Daviess County; Caleb and Leanne Ragland of LaRue County; Nick and Audrey Roy of Adair County; and Nathan and Chelsea Wilson of Fulton County.

Vickie Bryant of Monroe County was re-elected first vice chair, and Sharon Furches of Calloway County was re-elected second vice chair of the Women’s Committee.

Members of the 2015 Women's Advisory Committee, including officers, are: Vickie Bryant of Monroe County; Mary Jayne Cannon of Fleming County; Pam Chappell of Owen County; Tracey Edgington of Garrard County; Betty Farris of Butler County; Sharon Furches of Calloway County; Judy Hayden of McLean County; Margaret Hensley of Clay County; Sue Litkenhus of Anderson County; Lisa Osborne of Greenup County; and Carol Sullivan of Taylor County.

A complete listing of state-wide news releases:

Outstanding Young Farm Family

Distinguished Service to Agriculture

Distinguished Service to Farm Bureau

Farmer of the Year

President's Address

Outstanding Farm Bureau Youth

Top County Award

Farm Public Relations Award

Communications Award

Discussion Meet

Women's Educational Grant

Excellence in Ag Literacy

Priority Issues