Oregon farmer’s John Deere assortment ended in nationwide Farm Bureau position
Printed 11:00 am Monday, April 20, 2026
Roy Hofer joined group to proportion historical past with like-minded farmers
CANBY, Ore. — Roy Hofer grows hazelnuts and is a “historical past nut” — a barn on his acreage holds a non-public farm equipment museum that specialize in John Deere tractors.
In some way, the gathering ended in him turning into an American Farm Bureau Federation Younger Farmers & Ranchers Committee member for 2026-27.
After graduating from faculty, Hofer disappeared into farming and paintings and felt remoted.
He were given concerned with the Clackamas County Farm Bureau to proportion agricultural historical past with like-minded people.
The 35-year-old recalled attending his first assembly and considering, “‘Wow, those are in reality my folks.’ It’s a good way for farmers to get in combination.”
But even so socializing and networking, Hofer won industry building and management abilities.
He chaired the Oregon Farm Bureau YF&R committee from 2024-25, attesting ahead of lawmakers in Salem, ahead of being named to his nationwide position.
Hofer made pals with farmers during the U.S., and lots of visited his orchard and museum in March when the YF&R Management Convention used to be held in close by Portland.
He continuously visits Farm Bureau pals on his trips to tractor presentations in different states.
‘I really like operating on apparatus’
Hofer, who additionally works because the farm supervisor of Oregon Plants Inc., in Aurora, Ore., has about 12 tractors and he’s all the time restoring any other.
“I really like operating on apparatus. … I’ve simply accomplished it since I used to be a child,” he stated.
Hofer’s John Deere 320, simplest produced from 1956-58, is on show on the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
Older machines are easy and there’s no use for computer systems and fancy fixes, Hofer defined.
He in particular likes two-cylinder John Deere tractors from the Dubuque Works manufacturing unit, which produced smaller machines.
“That particular dimension vary, it’s more or less what I grew up on,” he stated. Hofer, who grew up within the space, stated he may force a tractor ahead of he may succeed in the pedals.
The flexible Dubuque Works tractors, that have a three-point hitch, can nonetheless be used as of late, Hofer added.
A teen within the tractor amassing international
Maximum tractor creditors are older and from the Midwest, they usually to start with had been curious in regards to the West Coast teenager.
Hofer is called after his nice uncle who used to be a John Deere broker all the way through the Forties and Fifties.
A lot of Hofer’s tractors had been handed down, however he additionally bought previous equipment from close by farms.
But even so tractors, Hofer has a horse-drawn plow, and an early Weygandt System caneberry harvester, which might substitute 40-50 staff.
Hofer’s museum holds Farm Bureau conferences and different gatherings, and seniors from an area retirement group have visited.
West Coast illustration
YF&R Committee participants serve two-year phrases, which might be staggered to restrict turnover.
Trelawney Bullis of California, AC Meals’ director of water, GIS and sustainability, additionally used to be appointed this 12 months and Johnathan Quigley, a Washington tree fruit grower, used to be appointed in 2025.
Hofer stated it’s uncommon to have such a lot West Coast illustration at the nationwide crew, which is continuously ruled through agricultural execs from the Midwest and South.
He inspired younger agricultural execs to get all in favour of Farm Bureau through attending county-level conferences, the place they are able to be informed extra about YF&R regional and nationwide occasions.