JAMESTOWN – The election of a new state president capped off North Dakota Farmers Union’s 99th annual state convention Dec. 12-13 in Bismarck.

Matt Perdue, a farmer from Ray, was elected to lead the state’s largest general farm organization. He is the state organization’s youngest president at 33 years of age.

In policy debate, Farmers Union delegates adopted their 2026 Program of Policy & Action and four special orders of business. Those orders focused on completing a comprehensive farm bill, strengthening rural health systems, restoring predictable and rules-based trade policy, and extending Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.

Speakers included National Farmers Union President Rob Larew, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, Sen. John Hoeven, geopolitical analyst Jacob Shapiro, constitutional expert Jon Bouker and Miss North Dakota 2025 Kennedy DeLap.

In the board elections, Bob Kuylen of South Heart was reelected as vice president. Jon Iverson of Langdon was reelected District 1 director for Benson, Cavalier, Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina, Ramsey, Towner and Walsh counties.

Tyler Stafslien of Makoti was reelected to the District 3 seat. The district encompasses the counties of Burke, Divide, Mountrail, Renville and Williams counties.

Dave Berger of Center was elected to the District 5 seat. District 5 comprises a nine-county area: Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan and Sioux counties.

Ben Vig of Sharon was elected District 7 director for Barnes, Cass, Griggs, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele and Traill counties.

Members also elected 56 delegates to represent North Dakota at the 124th National Farmers Union Convention, slated for March 7-9 in New Orleans. Among them are April Marquart, Lori Blocker and Dalton Wiest of Anamoose; Phil Neubauer of Bottineau; Bob Finken, DeAnne Finken and Tia Nesson of Douglas; Trever Jensen of Kenmare; David Teigen of Rugby; Roxanne Bloom and Isaac Sherven of Ryder; Lacey Ethen, Jarett Keith, Jerri Keith and Steve Keith of Sherwood; Patty Jensen of Tioga; Doug Cvancara and Sharri Cvancara of Wildrose.

In addition, 12 youths received the Torchbearer Award, the highest honor in the Farmers Union youth program. This year’s honorees included Chase Cowdrey of Garrison, Maggie Jennings of Washburn, Danica Degenstein of Watford City, Rylan Scofield of Arnegard, Carter Teigen of Rugby, Bridger Cvancara of Wildrose and Myia Knox of Ray.

Cvancara also received a $2,000 Bergman Scholarship.