Zippy Duvall was feeling a little under the weather but thanks to the prayers of many he found his voice and made it through his first address to the membership as president of the nation’s largest general farm organization at the 98th American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting. Duvall was elected at the AFBF meeting last year to replace Bob Stallman, who served 16 years as president of the organization.

“My goal as your president in the first two years, I want to visit all 50 states,” said Duvall, who is already half way through that goal having visited 33 states this year.

Among the priorities for Farm Bureau in the coming year is regulation reform and during his address Duvall asked the membership to use their phones to email Congress right then about the need for regulatory reform – and some 1500 responded on the spot.

Duvall said Farm Bureau will also be calling on Congress this year to reform immigration laws to ensure the future of American agriculture. “Mr. Trump says he wants to keep American jobs from going overseas. One way he can do that is by keeping America’s food production in America,” he said.

Listen to Duvall’s address and press conference here.

2017 AFBF annual meeting photos