Furleigh Farms
After serving the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean Conflict, Furleigh attended ISU and graduated in 1958 with a degree in economics and minors in industrial administration and agronomy.
Prior to graduation, Bob and his wife, Donna, planted their first strawberry bed in 1956 to supplement the G.I. bill in paying college expenses. Furleigh also spent summer days custom baling. Since the first strawberry bed was planted more than 4000 people annually have flocked to Bob Furleigh’s strawberry patches throughout the state to pick their own fruits and vegetables. Furleigh Farms is known for high-quality, produce – including sweet corn, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes and more. Bob and his wife have employed more than 3,000 people over the years and estimate that Iowans have enjoyed more than 1,000 tons of their strawberries. In addition, they have owned and operated a 540-acre corn, soybean, and hay operation and raised hogs and Angus cattle for 40 years. The couple have two sons, Dwight and Ben.
Furleigh rose through the ranks as a farm leader in the American Farm Bureau, becoming a member of the state resolutions committee, a voting delegate to the national Farm Bureau convention and chairman of the state policy study committee.
While active in Farm Bureau, Furleigh began to attract attention and interest for his plan to create a farm political action committee. He and other farm leaders formed the Farmers and Ranchers Midwest PAC, and became politically active on a bi-partisan basis in the 1978 elections.
Furleigh’s commitment to his causes and his friends led to his involvement in a variety of political campaigns and government affairs. He played an instrumental role in the success of Sen. Charles Grassley, serving as third district Campaign Manager in 1976. Furleigh also served as a Senatorial Aide to Grassley in 1981.
In 1986 the Reagan Administration appointed Furleigh to head up the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (now Farm Service Agency) as executive director for the state of Iowa leading a corps of up to 1,850 full-time and part-time workers in 100 county offices. The federal agency, once called the largest financial operation in the state, runs all major farm and commodity price support programs which in 1986/87 totaled over $4 billion in disbursements. His dedication earned him the Administrator’s Award three years in a row.
In 1993 Bob served as administrative assistant to Governor Branstad, dealing with agricultural issues and gubernatorial appointments. He committed himself to maintaining Iowa’s livestock industry and the concept of value-added agriculture. His work led to the creation and implementation of the Governor’s Livestock Task Force, on which he served as chairman.
Governor Branstad appointed Bob in 1995 to serve on the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission established by Congress to address agricultural issues common to the region. He also served on the State Judicial Nominating Commission from 1998 to 2001.
In 1999 Furleigh received the Farm Bureau distinguished service to agriculture award. In 2002 he was one of 23 ISU alumni living in Iowa, profiled by the University for his contributions to the vitality of Iowa. Bob has been a member of the Mason City Rotary Club since 1976 and served as president in 1998. Bob and his wife Donna are Paul Harris Fellows and Level Four Benefactors for the Rotary Foundation as well as Honorary co-chairs for Central Gardens in Clear Lake. Bob is an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church.