Bill Zalakar, former president of the Long Island Farm Bureau and a longtime figure in the region’s agricultural industry, has been appointed the group’s new administrative director.
The appointment marks a return to leadership for Zalakar, who served as president of the bureau from 2019 to 2022 and has also held positions at both the state and national levels. The Long Island Farm Bureau represents farmers in Nassau, Suffolk, and New York City, serving as a local chapter of the New York Farm Bureau, which advocates and lobbies on behalf of the farming industry and promotes local agriculture initiatives.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico praised the appointment, calling Zalakar an experienced and respected choice. “Bill Zalakar is a great person and exceptionally qualified new leader of the Long Island Farm Bureau,” Panico said. “At our farmland advisory meetings, he is always on top of issues, with a keen understanding of agriculture and a passion to keep farming going for future generations. I wish him and his predecessor, Rob Carpenter, who retired and took a new position with the County of Suffolk, the very best.”
Zalakar, 64, spent nearly three decades in leadership roles at Kurt Weiss Greenhouses in Center Moriches, one of the largest greenhouse companies in the country. He later became chairperson of promotion and education for the New York State Farm Bureau and also served on committees for the American Farm Bureau Federation, helping to educate and advocate for farmers.
In his new role, Zalakar is expected to focus on public policy, education, and outreach, ensuring that farmers are represented on issues such as land preservation, labor, and environmental regulations.
The position opened earlier this year following Carpenter’s retirement. Zalakar assumed the post last month at the bureau’s Calverton office and has already hit the ground running.