The head of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation has resigned just days after he announced he was taking “a leave of absence.” The resignation comes after he was arrested last week for allegedly hitting an employee at his Weber County farm.
In addition to the reported assault, Ron Bennett Gibson is also under investigation for human trafficking and fraud, according to the police.
Gibson, 50, was charged Thursday with one count of assault, a class B misdemeanor.
On Tuesday, members of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office say they were called to western Weber County after getting a report of an assault. An employee told deputies he was assaulted by his boss, whom he identified as Gibson, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the sheriff’s office Tuesday.
The employee told law enforcement that he and other co-workers had not been given their last four paychecks, according to the document. He confronted Gibson, which led to a verbal altercation, the affidavit says.
The affidavit says police viewed a video that depicted Gibson telling the man in Spanish to “shut up” before hitting him in the face. The hit caused the man’s mouth to bleed, which required medical attention, according to the document.
Gibson was booked into the Weber County Jail and has been released.
On Friday, however, the sheriff’s office issued a news release saying further investigation into Gibson was ongoing, but not for assault.
“The investigation has also brought to light allegations of fraud and human trafficking, which are currently being thoroughly investigated by the Department of Public Safety’s Special Bureau of Investigation,” the news release said.
In a statement Friday afternoon, the Utah Farm Bureau announced Gibson would take a leave of absence and step away from his position, “following an incident involving an employee on his farm.”
Included in the statement was an apology from Gibson, saying he is taking the leave “because I don’t want this personal matter to become a distraction from the important work of the federation.”
“I deeply regret the incident and apologize for allowing an argument to escalate to an altercation on my farm,” Gibson said in the written statement. “I’m disappointed in myself. I have deep respect for the men and women willing to work on farms across America, including mine. I simply could not manage the farm without their help, and we wouldn’t have the abundance we do in this country without them.”
However, the Utah Farm Bureau announced Tuesday evening that Gibson had resigned from the federation.
“Utah Farm Bureau Federation was notified today of Ron Gibson’s resignation from his position as president of the Utah Farm Bureau, effective immediately,” the organization said in the statement. “Utah Farm Bureau welcomes this development.
“We are grateful for his years of service to our organization, but his mistreatment of a farm worker last week was unbecoming of a leader and inconsistent with Farm Bureau’s values.”
Gibson also resigned from the American Farm Bureau Federation's board of directors, the national federation said in a statement Tuesday evening.
“The resignation of Ron Gibson from his role as president of the Utah Farm Bureau and therefore from his role on the American Farm Bureau board of directors was the right thing to do," the federation said in a statement.
“Although his apology for mistreating a worker on his farm was heartfelt, such conduct is unacceptable and inconsistent with the values of Farm Bureau. Mistreatment of an employee is never okay."
Gibson is a sixth-generation farmer who produces dairy, corn and alfalfa, his biography says.
