LAYTON -- Members of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation walked away from their annual two-day convention with a call to political action from more than one of their own.
Utah Farm Bureau President Leland Hogan addressed the audience on Thursday and others followed on Friday with messages of political interest.
"We've lost the rural feel of leadership in our communities and in leadership at the state level," said Hogan, who encouraged members to run for office.
More than 400 people had signed up to attend the convention held at the Davis Conference Center.
Among the Friday speakers was State Rep. Kerry Gibson, who represents western Weber County and is also a dairy farmer.
"There are some serious issues facing agriculture," said Gibson.
The legislator said among the topics he will watch closely in the next state legislative session are food safety issues, maintaining private property rights and the potential cuts being suggested to reduce a projected state deficit.
The 93rd yearly meeting comes as Hogan reports Farm Bureau membership has reached an all-time high since the organization's founding in 1916.
Some 27,000 families are members of the organization, which the Bureau reports is a 16 percent increase over the year before.
Among the closing day speakers was Mike Ramsdell, who grew up in Box Elder County.
"I was working on farms since I was 6," said Ramsdell, who authored a spy novel he says will be made into a movie.
Hogan, a Tooele County farmer, was elected in to another two-year term as president, a position he has held since 2001.
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