Boardman Farmer’s Green Tractor Passion Plows Path to National Leadership

For many in Morrow County, a John Deere tractor is a vital tool of the trade. For Boardman farmer Alex Rivera, it became the unlikely seed for a journey to the highest levels of agricultural advocacy.

What began as a personal hobby restoring vintage two-cylinder “Johnny Poppers” evolved into a deep dive into the history of farming technology and the business challenges faced by generations of producers. Rivera’s meticulously curated collection, featuring models that once worked the very fields along the Columbia River, became a local attraction and a talking point at regional farm meetings.

“Those old machines tell a story of innovation, risk, and resilience,” Rivera explained during a break from managing his modern operation. “Discussing them opened conversations about the same pressures farmers face today—from equipment repair rights to water policy—just with more microchips involved.”

His ability to connect historical perspective with contemporary issues caught the attention of the Oregon Farm Bureau. His grassroots credibility, rooted in Eastern Oregon soil, led to state-level committee roles where he advocated for the specific needs of irrigated and dryland farmers in our region.

That effective, practical voice has now propelled him to a national stage. Rivera was recently appointed to a key advisory committee with the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, D.C. In this role, he will help shape federal policy, ensuring the concerns of Boardman and the Pacific Northwest are heard where it matters most.

“It’s about making sure the folks making decisions understand what it means to run a business at the end of a long irrigation pivot,” Rivera said. “Whether it’s a 1951 Model A or a 2024 9RX, the goal is the same: to sustainably grow the food and fiber our nation depends on.”