Greg Ibach’s lifelong dedication to agriculture began on his family farm near Sumner, Nebraska, where he learned the values of hard work and excellence that would shape his future leadership roles. From his early involvement in agricultural youth programs to serving as Undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Greg has built a career committed to advancing Nebraska agriculture and strengthening its global presence.
Greg Ibach’s journey in Nebraska agriculture began on the Ibach family farm in northeast Dawson County, near Sumner. It was there that he learned the work ethic and commitment to excellence that helped him achieve local, state and national leadership roles in agriculture.
Although his parents taught work ethic and excellence, Greg credits his involvement in agricultural youth activities as a training ground for life skills. He was involved in speech, demonstration, judging and leadership contests, which provided the diverse experiences he would use later — in college, in work environments, in volunteer activities and in leadership positions.
Greg is a proud 1984 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he earned degrees in animal science and agricultural economics. He also is the proud husband of Teresa (Heusman) Ibach and they are the parents of triplets: Evan, Alec and Emily. All three are married and involved in agricultural careers of their own. Greg and Teresa are grandparents to the seventh generation of Ibach farmers and ranchers in the Sumner community.
After his UNL graduation, Greg worked for the Federal Land Bank of Omaha, working in Indianola, Iowa and in Kearney and Grand Island, Nebraska.
In 1989, Greg’s grandparents asked him to return to the family farm so they could gradually retire, so Greg and family moved back to northeast Dawson County and the farming and ranching life. As Greg and Teresa’s farm grew, so did their agricultural experiences, first with Farm Bureau serving at the county level and on the State Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. In the beef industry, Greg was elected to the Nebraska Beef Council, and became involved in leadership positions in the National Livestock and Meat Board, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Greg served as a member of the first Beef Industry Long Range Planning Committee and Vice Chairman of the Checkoff Division of NCBA.
In 1999, Greg was asked to serve as Assistant Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture by Director Merlyn Carlson. Greg served five years as assistant director, then nearly 13 more years as NDA Director. He served three governors during that time. During his time at the Department, his focus was on growing Nebraska agriculture’s presence both inside and outside the state and nation. He led efforts to grow our state’s livestock industry and oversaw the development of regulations to establish Livestock Friendly County Program and the Livestock Siting Matrix, directed the establishment of the Livestock Emergency Disease Response Network to address animal biosecurity and foreign animal disease preparedness. He also organized Governor’s and Director’s Trade missions to Asia, Europe, Africa and South America, increasing Nebraska’s agricultural export opportunities.
In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Greg to serve as the Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs in the United States Department of Agriculture. He was confirmed by the Senate in a voice vote. Two of his main areas of responsibility were the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Greg and Teresa returned to the farm in 2021. In addition to farming and ranching, Greg continues to be involved with Nebraska Farm Bureau and with the Nebraska Cattlemen. He also consults for agricultural interests and has worked with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) as Undersecretary in Residence, with his focus to connect the university’s agricultural research work to state, national and international public policy discussions.
