Farm Bureau Relationships Create Lasting Impact for Dustin and Harmony Cox

By Cleveland Jackson

Reflecting on their Farm Bureau involvement, Dustin and Harmony Cox, former American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee members, say it’s the relationships that fueled their passion and provided a lasting impact.

The Cox family, from Alton, Utah, seemingly never sleeps. Between activities for their six girls – yes, you read that right, six girls, a farm-to-table distribution business, first-generation cattle ranch, hay brokerage business, Airbnb home rental and cowboy destination experiences, they have a lot going on but are quick to point out Farm Bureau’s impact on their lives.

In a scenario not uncommon in Farm Bureau, Dustin and Harmony went unassumingly to their first local meeting and walked out as county YF&R chairs. In fact, Dustin attributes their success in Farm Bureau to the day their county placed them in that role. County service quickly led to a two-year term as Utah YF&R chairs and then on to the national committee, where Harmony served as secretary and as a member of the Discussion Meet Subcommittee and Dustin served on the Promotions Subcommittee.

Like all good things that must eventually come to an end, Dustin and Harmony aged out of the YF&R program, but not without purpose. While some may see the age limit as a barrier to growth, Dustin and Harmony saw it as a sign to step back and focus on raising their family and pouring into their daughters. Life allowed them to slow down and serve as county Farm Bureau president (Dustin) and as board members.

Now, 10 years after serving on the YF&R committee, Dustin and Harmony are back in statewide leadership, serving as state chairs of the Utah Farm Bureau Promotion & Engagement Committee. A few minutes on social media will reveal the love they both have for sharing the story of agriculture with the public. They see their time serving in this role as an opportunity to connect consumers to all facets of Farm Bureau and agriculture.

Harmony believes it’s the “micro-influencers” who will move the needle with those less connected to their food supply. “It’s not the person with a million or 2 million followers who will make the most impact; it’s the one with 2,000-5,000 followers who is intentional about making connections and sharing the story of agriculture,” says Harmony.

And it’s that love for agriculture and sharing their story that keeps the Cox family engaged. In a world where people are often chasing something they are not, Dustin encourages YF&R members serving at all levels to be authentic. While they are first-generation ranchers, Dustin and Harmony’s roots in agriculture run deep and they have certainly remained true to their faith and family principles on their leadership journey.

Cleveland Jackson serves on the AFBF YF&R Committee. He and his wife, Emilia, own and operate Jackson Farms, a commercial cow-calf operation, and Buttermilk Blooms, a cut flower farm, in Georgia. Cleve works off the farm for Elanco Animal Health as a senior account executive in the Poultry Business Unit.