Rick Robinson

Bio

Rick Robinson is the environmental policy advisor for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, West Des Moines, Iowa, the state’s largest general farm organization. He has 29 years of proven leadership with the IFBF and its more than 159,000 member families. He monitors conservation and natural resource policy issues and works to implement progressive, science-based, economically feasible public policy solutions to the conservation and natural resource challenges facing modern agriculture. Robinson has 22 years of state and federal executive branch public policy strategy development and implementation experience. He has proven experience in design and management of award-winning conservation and natural resource programming for the IFBF, including leading creation of Iowa's first successful nutrient reduction strategy and a wetland mitigation bank for farmers. Robinson joined the Farm Bureau staff in 1987, after graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in ag journalism. He formerly served as assistant director of publications at Farm Bureau, and was associate editor of the Farm Bureau Spokesman. He is also an Iowa Master Conservationist, a former Trees Forever board member and blood donor. Robinson grew up on a farm in Delaware County. He now lives with his family near Granger. His family includes his wife Wendy, who is director of instructional services for an area education agency, and three daughters. Daughter Torey is a staff attorney at Legal Aid of Iowa who graduated from ISU in 2011 cum laude in journalism and mass communication. Jordin graduated from ISU in 2015 and works as a food, beverage and event manager at a private club in Wayne, IL. Daughter Brenna is enrolled in pharmacy school at the University of Iowa.