John Krist, the CEO of the Ventura County Farm Bureau, will retire in February after 14 years with the organization, the Farm Bureau said in a May 21 news release.

Krist joined the Farm Bureau in 2008 and as the CEO he was responsible for managing the staff, daily operations and finances. He also recommended numerous policies the Farm Bureua’s board adopted and served as the liaison between the organization and news outlets and community groups. 

“Local farmers and ranchers have benefited tremendously from John’s devotion to the agricultural industry as CEO of the Ventura County Farm Bureau,” Will Terry, the Farm Bureau’s board chairman, said in the news release. “His technical expertise and steady hand have guided the industry through uncharted waters, resulting in hard-fought wins for the industry.”

Before joining Farm Bureau, Krist was a journalist, spending 24 years at the Ventura County Star as a reporter, editor and columnist. He is the author of three books about California’s parks and wilderness areas, as well as “Voyage of Rediscovery,” based on his experiences retracing the Lewis and Clark trail, and “Living Legacy: The Story of Ventura County Agriculture.”

With his retirement, the Farm Bureau board has begun a wide-ranging search for candidates for the CEO position, a process expected to take several months, Terry said.