Delegates to the North Dakota Farmers Union’s 99th annual convention in Bismarck elected Matt Perdue as the organization’s next president, marking a generational transition in leadership for the state’s largest general farm organization.
Perdue, 35, becomes just the 10th president in NDFU history and the youngest to hold the position. He succeeds Mark Watne, who announced ahead of the convention that he would not seek reelection after 12 years as president.
Perdue farms with his family near Ray, North Dakota, where they raise spring wheat, durum, canola, lentils and soybeans. He previously worked for both the North Dakota Farmers Union and the National Farmers Union, advocating for family farmers and ranchers at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C. During his time at NDFU, Perdue oversaw cooperative and adult education initiatives and held broad management responsibilities within the organization.
He and his wife, Abby, have two daughters, Ellie and Eva, and split their time between Jamestown and the family farm.
Perdue was elected following a contested race with Shelly Ziesch, a fourth-generation producer from Pettibone. Former president Mark Watne did not seek a 13th term, saying it was time for new leadership to guide the organization forward.
“I am convinced that strong leaders must develop new leaders of future generations for the longevity of an organization to succeed,” Watne said during the annual meeting. “It is time to let a new generation of capable people step forward and lead us into the future of agriculture and the success of family farms and ranches.”
Watne was first elected NDFU president in November 2013. In addition to leading the Farmers Union, he also serves as president of Farmers Union Insurance and the Farmers Union Service Association. Prior to becoming president, Watne spent 26 years with the organization as a county president, state board member and staff executive director.
Reflecting on his tenure, Watne said the organization is well positioned for the future. “The state of our organization is strong and effective,” he said. “I believe we have made a huge difference in the lives of family farmers and ranchers in this country, and I have no doubt we will be effective well into the future, thanks to the continued strength of our members.”
Perdue’s election signals a new chapter for NDFU as the organization continues its advocacy for family farms, ranches and rural communities across North Dakota.
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NDFU – 2025
