|
Click to listen to this article
|
By René Hardwick, Director of Public and Industry Relations, National Onion Association
If you’ve ever driven past the wide-open fields of North Dakota, you might have glimpsed the roots of America’s next National Onion Association president. Barry Vculek, owner of Four Star Ag in Oakes, North Dakota, takes the reins from Jared Gutierrez for the 2026-28 term, bringing a blend of hands-on farming experience and a passion for advocacy that runs as deep as the soil he tills.
Vculek’s connection to the land is generational. By seventh grade, he was managing 500 acres – land he still farms today – and now oversees about 1,000 acres, specializing in onions since 2008. What started as a transition from potatoes has grown into a lifelong commitment to America’s favorite allium.
Active in the NOA for nearly 13 years, Vculek has served on the executive board and is a familiar face at the annual Washington, D.C., Fly-In.
“Food safety and international onion trade – both imports and exports – are some of the most pressing challenges facing our industry,” he says. “The NOA exists for the benefit of U.S. onion growers, and that focus needs to remain front and center. I plan to lean on my executive committee, utilizing their knowledge and experience to guide the association on these issues and more.”
Vculek also hopes to inspire onion growers across the country to get involved.
“The legislative work we’ve been doing over the past several years has made a real difference, but it’s only possible when growers engage with the association,” he says. “I want more of our growers to join NOA, lend their voices, and help shape policies that protect and advance our industry.”
Politics isn’t new to Vculek. Alongside running his farm, he maintains strong connections in North Dakota politics.
“From my experience in D.C., mostly through NOA trips, the bureaucracy moves slowly. But a call or letter from a senator or congressman can really move things along,” he notes.
With his wife, Robin, a daughter, Larissa Vculek, flying high as an airline pilot and another, Bree Vculek, shaping policy as a patent attorney in Washington, D.C., Vculek’s life balances family, farming and advocacy. As he steps into the NOA presidency, he brings a dedication to U.S. onion growers that promises a strong, forward-looking future for the industry.
