New Farm Bureau leader is driven to motivate, inspire

By Christine Souza

Born and raised on his family’s livestock farm in rural Minnesota, Dan Durheim has spent nearly 30 years in leadership roles supporting agriculture. He is no stranger to hard work.

Although he has milked his share of dairy cows and tossed many hay bales, the incoming chief operating officer for the California Farm Bureau said his forte is leading people.

“Some people have a natural ability to work on tractors or plant things,” Durheim said. “While I love agriculture, what I have naturally is the love of people and an ability to build relationships and really bring out the best in folks that I work with.”

The California Farm Bureau Board of Directors selected Durheim as the organization’s first-ever COO after screening more than 1,100 candidates following a comprehensive executive search led by the business consulting firm Morrison.

In his new role, Durheim will oversee daily operations and management of personnel and ensure that the goals of the organization are carried out. Durheim joins the Farm Bureau on July 1.

California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass called Durheim “a longtime champion for agriculture and for Farm Bureau.”

She noted his extensive background with the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Minnesota Farm Bureau. She also praised his commitment to grassroots work on behalf of farmers and ranchers at county, state and national levels.

“Dan’s deep experience with Farm Bureau, established relationships within the industry, selfless leadership style and focus on strategic service of our members make him uniquely qualified to serve in this historic position for our organization,” Douglass said.

Durheim grew up in the central Minnesota town of Eagle Bend, where his parents raised beef cattle and sheep, and held jobs outside the farm.

“It was in a very agrarian community dependent upon agriculture,” he said of his hometown, which has a population of about 550. He added that he and his family were active in the community, 4-H and FFA.

While attending the University of Minnesota, Durheim helped plan livestock shows as an intern at the Minnesota State Fair. It was through this experience that he met a woman who introduced him to the Farm Bureau, a pivotal experience that he said influenced the trajectory of his career.

“I met Robin Kinney, who worked for the Minnesota Farm Bureau, who became a mentor,” Durheim said. “I was just impressed. She had this calling for me about the way that she served members and the excitement that she had. Because of Robin Kinney, here I am nearly 30 years later.”

Kinney, Minnesota Farm Bureau director of membership and marketing, said she is excited that Durheim is returning to the Farm Bureau family.

“Dan empowers people to be their best, and I think that is what our grassroots members need, and I think that’s what those in production agriculture need,” Kinney said. “They need somebody to be their champion and coach, and I can’t think of a more perfect mentor.”

In discussing how he intends to approach the position, Durheim said he hopes to strengthen relationships and unify the state’s farmers and ranchers, adding, “there’s a real opportunity to champion what we do.”

“There is no place in the world that is more productive and does more to sustain life than California farmers and ranchers,” he said. “When I think about just the sheer numbers of production and the diversity of what farmers produce, I’m very eager to really show the value of the California Farm Bureau to farmers and ranchers.”

At the University of Minnesota, Durheim earned a Bachelor of Science and pursued a Master of Education in agriculture and extension education services. In 1997, after his time at the university, Durheim was hired by the Minnesota Farm Bureau as an area program director for membership, policy and leadership development.

In 2003, he relocated to Washington, D.C., where he completed almost 20 years serving the American Farm Bureau Federation in multiple roles, including as executive director of industry affairs, director of program development and executive director of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Most recently, Durheim worked for Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, as associate vice president for sponsor relations, a position he held since 2016.

Durheim’s wife, Cheryl, who also grew up in agriculture, has worked as an adjunct professor and is a professional photographer with her own business.

The Durheims have three children. Abby, 25, works for the Nebraska Farm Bureau; Caleb, 22, attends the University of Nebraska; and Savannah, 16, attends high school in Ohio and is active in FFA. As the family relocates to California, Durheim said their small flock of sheep will be offered to 4-H families.

Durheim said he is an avid reader and enjoys cooking, gardening and attending food festivals, fairs and livestock shows.

“We will absolutely frequent where we can find, not only Farm Bureau members, but other folks that love to celebrate agriculture,” Durheim said. “I know it is going to be hot in California, but we are very excited about the sunshine.”

(Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)