Bill Zalakar is a leader in the agricultural industry, specializing in horticultural business, regulatory issues and personnel management.  His 45 plus years in agriculture involves great diversity and experience of the industry.

Mr. Zalakar has currently assumed the role of Executive Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau. Previously he was the Director of Facilities and General Manager of Kurt Weiss Greenhouses, one of the leading Horticultural operations in the United States.  He held that position for 28 years.

Serving as a director for the local county farm bureau of Long Island and NY City, he was elected as President, serving three, one-year terms.  During this time, he helped to rebuild many committees for the organization such as membership, Young Farmers and Ranchers, and Promotion and Education committees, and made great strides with the involvement of urban agriculture programs, bridging traditional agriculture with urban and suburban communities.  It is here where his passion for people, education, and agriculture culminates.

In 2022 he was nominated to the New York Farm Bureau board of directors as Chairperson of the Promotion and Education Committee.  He also serves on the Labor Committee, Membership Committee, and is chairperson of the New York Farm Bureau Cannabis / Hemp Committee.  In 2023 he was appointed to the board of directors for New York Agriculture in the Classroom.  In 2024 he was nominated to the American Farm Bureau Federation as a committee member for Promotion & Education.

He has also served on many committees, some of which include:

American Farm Bureau Federation, Wate/Environment Issues Advisory Committee.

New York State, Climate Assessment Committee.

Brookhaven Town, Agriculture Advisory Committee.

Long Island, Water Reuse Action Plan Technical review group.

Long Island, Manufacturing Task Force.

In 2020 Bill Zalakar was the recipient of the HILA, Horticulture Industry Leadership Award, and in 2022 he was awarded by the New York Farm Bureau, the James Quinn Award.

Prior to his job with Kurt Weiss Greenhouses, Bill was Co-Owner and manager of Hoff Gardens Inc., a wholesale perennial growing operation and Long Island Llama’s, a commercial llama breeding and educational operation.

Mr. Zalakar earned his Bacholar of Science degree in Horticultural Business from Penn State University.