by Caroline Newby, administrative assistant
Steve Crump was selected by the board of directors to serve as Volusia Farm Bureau’s next executive director after the retirement of longtime director, Bill Hester. Steve’s first day on the job was September 1.
Crump has a long history with both farming and Farm Bureau in Volusia County. He grew up in DeLeon Springs on the family citrus farm and attended Taylor High School in Pierson. After graduating from Florida Southern College with a degree in citrus/business, he worked in South Florida for Duda, planting their Fort Pierce citrus groves. For 26 years he has managed his family’s farms in DeLeon Springs and Ottawa, Illinois.
Crump has served as a director on the Volusia Farm Bureau board since 2015. In previous years he was the county’s Young Farmer and Rancher chair and the recipient of a Volusia Farm Bureau scholarship to attend the University of Florida’s Wedgeworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Farm Bureau has supported me as a farmer for many years. I look forward to working for the board and Farm Bureau’s member families in Volusia County,” said Crump.
“Bill Hester has done such an outstanding job for so long that I’m a little nervous. Those are some very big shoes I’m going to try to fill. Fortunately he will still be around the office to help guide me along.”
Executive director is a part-time position, so Crump says he is looking forward to seeing his customers at his Vo-LaSalle Farms citrus and u-pick vegetable farm in DeLeon Springs.