Meet Our Leadership

Zippy's Story

President of the American Farm Bureau Federation since January 2016, Zippy Duvall is a third-generation farmer from Georgia. In addition to a 400-head beef cow herd for which he grows his own hay, Duvall and his wife, Bonnie, also grow more than 750,000 broilers per year.

Prior to being elected AFBF president, Duvall served for 9 years as president of the Georgia Farm Bureau. Duvall’s long leadership history in his home state includes service on the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee and Georgia Farm Bureau board of directors.

He was also recognized with several state appointments, including then-Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Georgia Development Authority. His many state honors include Georgia Dairy Family of the Year.

As GFB president, Duvall’s service on the AFBF board of directors included roles on the Trade Advisory Committee, including several international trade missions, and on the Finance Committee.

In 2017, Duvall was honored by National 4-H Council as a founding luminary, an exclusive group of accomplished and influential 4-H alumni.

Duvall and his wife, Bonnie, have been married for more than 38 years, raised four children and now enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren. They attend New Hope Baptist Church in Greshamville, Georgia, where he serves as a deacon.

AFBF Vice President Scott VanderWal is a third-generation corn and soybean farmer and cattle feeder from Volga, South Dakota. He farms with his father, brothers and other members of his family. In addition to cattle feeding and crop production, the family also has a custom harvesting operation.

VanderWal was elected AFBF vice president in January 2016 and soon after was selected to represent AFBF on the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance board of directors. VanderWal continues to serve as president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, a position he’s held since June 2004. He previously served as SDFB vice president (elected in 2001) and as a member of the SDFB board.

He is a past member and chairman of the SDFB Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and served on the American Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Committee from 1992-1994, where he was elected second vice chairman.

VanderWal is a McCloy Fellow, having participated in the agricultural fellowship to Germany in 1996. He has also represented agriculture during missions to Brazil in 2001 and Cuba in 2004.

VanderWal and his wife, Michelle have two sons who are both married. They have one granddaughter and are expecting another grandchild in July. Scott served on their local school board for 9 years, and they are both active in their church where Scott serves as treasurer and elder.

photo: Brenda Dreyer, SDFB