As director, state government relations, Darrin Youker leads IDFA’s state advocacy work, tracking and engaging on the growing volume of state legislative and regulatory activity affecting dairy. He develops strategic advocacy initiatives and coordinates closely with IDFA members, state partners, coalitions and policymakers across the country.
Youker joined IDFA with more than two decades of experience in agriculture policy, government affairs, advocacy communications and journalism. He comes to IDFA from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, where he served as policy director and helped lead the department’s legislative agenda, stakeholder engagement and federal agriculture work. His background also includes government affairs roles with Horizon Farm Credit and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, where he advocated on agriculture, conservation, transportation, tax, environmental and rural policy issues. Earlier in his career, Youker led member communications for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and worked as a journalist covering agriculture, transportation and government.
