(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) Florida Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest agricultural organization, 
today praised University of Florida President Bernie Machen’s appointment of Dr. Larry Arrington (photo right) as interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.
“Dr. Arrington’s 28 years of experience as a faculty member and administrator for UF/IFAS will ensure an orderly transition in the top leadership of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,” said John L. Hoblick (photo left), president of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. “Dr. Arrington’s record and experience equip him to deal with the challenges UF/IFAS will continue to face.”
Arrington succeeds Jimmy Cheek, who in October was named chancellor of the University of Tennessee. Arrington will assume his new position Jan. 12.
“Farm Bureau appreciates Dr. Cheek’s accomplishments,” Hoblick said. “We are looking forward to working closely with Dr. Arrington and the rest of the UF/IFAS leadership team.”
Arrington, 55, has been at UF for 28 years. As the dean and director for the Florida Extension Service, Arrington managed the outreach arm of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or IFAS.
A start date for the national search for the senior vice president position has not been set.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general-interest agricultural association with about 138,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, nonprofit agricultural organization. More information about Florida Farm Bureau is available on the organization’s Web site, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.
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