RE: The notice of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s resignation earlier this week: 

Montana Farm Bureau President Hans McPherson: “Montana Farm Bureau was very disappointed to hear about the resignation of Interior Secretary Zinke. We had a western man with western values, and we are proud to have had a Montanan in the Cabinet. The politics in Washington, D.C. make it a tough environment. We wish him success in the future.”  

Montana Farm Bureau Executive Vice President John Youngberg: “We are disappointed to see him leave. Under Zinke’s leadership, the Western states in general and specifically had much more access to the Secretary than at any time in the past.  He understood agriculture and resource issues and his voice will be missed.” 

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall: “On behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, we offer our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Secretary Ryan Zinke for his service, vision, and leadership at the U.S. Department of the Interior. His admiration for rural America, dedication to management of our public lands, and support for traditional western values have not gone unnoticed. We look forward to working with President Trump’s next Interior Secretary to advance the interests of Americas farmers and ranchers and to ensure effective management of our public lands.”