Cole Coxbill of Goshen County, Wyoming has been elected as the next American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee chairman for 2016. Coxbill will take over as chairman in February and serve for one year, and also serve a one-year term on the AFBF board of directors.
According to Coxbill, connecting with people outside of farming and ranching continues to be a top priority—and the next generation of farmers and ranchers is in a unique position to share agriculture’s story.
“We’re going to college, making connections and returning to the farm or ranch by choice, because we’re so passionate about agriculture. But back at home, we’re still maintaining and growing those networks we established in college,” Coxbill said.
He also noted that young farmers’ enthusiasm for new technology can be a real asset in reaching out to consumers. “It’s our nature to adapt faster, so when there’s a new social media tool we embrace it,” Coxbill said.
Coxbill and his father raise corn, alfalfa, sugar beets, dry edible beans and wheat, and they have a cow-calf operation and a feedlot. He and his wife Sammie have three children.