Darrell Becker has been a member of the Fayette County Farm Bureau for 30 years.
Uniontown, PA - Anyone who has been involved in the agriculture industry in Fayette County for any length of time no doubt knows of the Becker family. The Beckers have been involved with the Fayette County Farm Bureau for decades, educating the public on the importance of farming.
“Chris has been a member (of the Farm Bureau) for 30 years, and we’ve been married for 30 years, so I guess I’ve been a member for about 30 years,” Darrell Becker said.
Becker has been president of the Fayette County Farm Bureau for 10 years, he said. In November, his hard work on behalf of the agriculture industry was recognized when the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) presented him with the 2022 Distinguished Local Affairs Leader Award during the farm organization’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Hershey. The award recognizes an outstanding individual, whose local affairs efforts and activities have helped solve problems and improve rural living for county Farm Bureau members.
“Darrell has shown true leadership in promoting the legislative needs of Farm Bureau, and its members, at the county and state level,” PFB President Rick Ebert said. “His efforts in Fayette County have made an impact in educating the public about the needs of farmers, which is important for all of us.”
Becker said it was nice to have his efforts appreciated, though that isn’t why he puts so much energy into the Farm Bureau.
“It’s very gratifying, with all the hard work and the volume of time I put in, to just really get to see some recognition, but that’s not why I do it,” he said. “I have kids and grandkids that live in Fayette County. I’m tied to this county.”
That being the case, Becker said, he wants to see the county, and its agriculture industry, thrive.
“I’m very passionate about agriculture,” he said, noting that his daughter studied agriculture at Penn State and his wife, Chris, has a master’s degree in the field from West Virginia University. “We bleed agriculture, so it was just natural. We have a farm, so I understand agriculture. As a farmer, the biggest task is to educate the public about what we do.”
Becker said too many people these days don’t really understand where their food comes from, so a large part of his job is helping those people grasp the concept and importance of farming. Outreach and advocacy also are key. To that end, Becker helps coordinate farm-to-table dinners, meets with local legislators, and represents farmers in Harrisburg via the Farm Bureau.
“I reach out and make connections with people, and basically, talk to them,” he said. “I meet with the county commissioners, state and federal legislators, and I talk to them about agriculture and try to get legislation enacted that helps farmers.”
Becker said the farm-to-table dinners are a good way to help farmers connect with legislators and the public.
“All the food is either donated or purchased from farmers in Fayette County,” he said. “This is coming from the farmers and producers, and we showcase that. The farmers get to interact and share – it’s outreach.”
He called the Farm Bureau “the voice of agriculture” and noted it has been quite successful over the years. He said Fayette County Commissioners Dave Lohr, Chairman, Vince Vicites, and Scott Dunn have been supportive of his efforts.
“Relationships are the key to life,” Becker said. “If you don’t have relationships, it doesn’t matter what you know or how smart you are.”
To learn more about Fayette County Farm Bureau, visit www.pfb.com/fayette or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fayettefarmbureau.
To learn more about Fayette County, visit www.fayettecountypa.org.
Editor's Note: Photo attached (Darrell Becker)
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This communication, among other initiatives, is funded through the 2016 Fayette County Local Share Account (LSA) in cooperation with the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette, The Redstone Foundation and other partners. This funding has been designated for the continued promotion and marketing of Fayette County, PA.
For more information, contact Kristi Rooker Kassimer, Public Relations Specialist, at 412-691-0262, kkassimer@fayettecountypa.info or Jamie Rankin, Journalist, at 724-434-4486, jamierankin13@gmail.com.
