Kevin Rogers
Buckeye - Maricopa County
Inducted in 2024
Kevin Rogers was a native Arizonan who attended Littleton Elementary School, Tolleson High School, and the University of Arizona. He was a fourth-generation Valley farmer who farmed with his wife, Janel, his parents, uncle, brothers, and sister. The Rogers family farms were over 7,000 acres (located in Phoenix, Laveen, Mesa, and Scottsdale), producing cotton, alfalfa, wheat, barley, and corn.
Kevin met the love of his life, Janel while managing a tractor dealership next to her father's contracting business. When he decided to leave Tucson to work on the Rogers Brothers Family Farm in Laveen, Janel did not let him get away. They married on July 1, 1989. They raised their children, Taylor, Kevin Jr., and Morgan, in Mesa, Arizona, while Kevin ran the east valley portion of the Farm.
Kevin was active in various community, civic, and business groups and served on many boards and delegations involving trade, transportation, and the environment. To reference a few of his volunteer activities, he served 10-plus years as a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Air Quality Task Force, an Arizona Cotton Growers Association officer, and served on the National Cotton Council. He was also past Chairman of the Arizona Cotton Board. Kevin was active with the 4-H Youth Foundation and Maricopa County Fair Board and has served as president for both groups. He was also a board member of the Arizona Pork Council.
Kevin Rogers served as the executive vice president of the Arizona Cotton Growers Association (ACGA) from 2017 to 2022. Previously, Rogers served 15 years as an ACGA Vice-President, holding the Association's 'first vice-president position, working collectively to protect and improve the economic viability of the Arizona Cotton Producers.
Nationally, he served on the National Cotton Council and the Cotton Board, promoting his favorite commodity around the globe, specifically here in the United States. During his tenure with the Board, he helped with the agriculture campaign "The Fabric of Our Lives" and served as various committee chairs and vice chairs between 2006 and 2010.
Before working with the Arizona Cotton Growers Association, he was an active Arizona Farm Bureau (AZFB) member for over 35 years. He served as their State President for 14 years. As the Arizona Farm Bureau President, his reach and influence went far beyond the state activities; he was always willing to serve the community. Kevin worked hard to ensure all Arizona Farm Bureau staff members felt welcomed and included in the organization. Rogers was a leader in developing the AZFB Ag in the Classroom program and served in numerous American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) leadership positions, including as a member of the AFBF board of directors and on the group's executive committee. While an AFBF leader, Rogers participated in World Trade Organization trade talks in Geneva, Switzerland. Working with a forward-thinking group of individuals, Kevin understood that to advocate for agriculture was to get together and get involved.
While Kevin advocated for the agriculture industry, serving in multiple capacities at the local, state, and national levels, his heart was in serving his community. He was passionate about helping youth in agriculture and is a lifetime supporter of the Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation, the Arizona FFA, and the Maricopa County Fair.
As a fourth-generation Arizona farmer, he didn't just advocate for agriculture; he celebrated it and truly embodied the mission of those providing our nation's safest and most reliable food supply.
Affiliations
Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Program
Maricopa County YF&R Chairman
Maricopa County Farm Bureau Board Member & Officer
Arizona Farm Bureau YF&R State Committee
Maricopa County Extension Advisory Board Member 1992-1996
Maricopa County Extension Chairman 1996-1997
Member of Project CENTRL, graduating from Class 7
Arizona Farm Bureau State Board, Second Vice President
Arizona Farm Bureau State Board, First Vice President
Arizona Farm Bureau President 2003-2017
Arizona Wheat Growers Association Board Member 1994-1998
American Farm Bureau Board of Directors 2005-2010
FBL Financial Group Board of Directors
Farm Bureau Life Board member
Farm Bureau Bank Board member
Arizona Cotton Growers Association Officer
Executive Director of the Arizona Cotton Growers Association
Cotton, Inc. Delegate 1998-2004
National Cotton Council Board
Member of the Cotton Board 2004-2015 & Chairman of the Board 2013-2014
Chairman of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation
Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation President
Arizona FFA Foundation
Arizona Pork Council
Maricopa County Fair Board Member 1994-2000, 2016-2022
Maricopa County Fair Board President 1996-1997
Arizona National Livestock Show Board Member 1999-2018
Awards & Recognition:
2022 Inaugural Recipient of the C.S. Brown Legacy Award
AZ Pink Bollworm Eradication
Memorial Scholarships:
Kevin Rogers Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Maricopa County Fair
AZ FFA Foundation Kevin Rogers Endowment