Ciscomani Announces Rural Rancher for 2026 State of the Union Guest

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani is proud to announce Ben Menges will be his guest for this year's State of the Union in Washington, D.C. Ben is a fifth-generation Arizona rancher, running Menges Ranch in Safford, Arizona. He currently serves as the president of Graham County Farm Bureau.

"Ben and his family are deeply rooted in southeastern Arizona," said Ciscomani. "Their responsible approach to ranching is a testament to how one of our state's oldest and time-honored professions can not only survive but thrive in our high technology 21st century economy. I'm honored Ben will be joining me in Washington next week as my guest at the State of the Union."

Ben Menges expressed his gratitude for Congressman Ciscomani's invite:

"I'm proud to attend the State of the Union as a representative of agriculture for our district and our state, and I'm beyond proud to stand with Juan Ciscomani as he fights for an industry the world can't live without."

He explained his passion for Arizona's agriculture industry and thanked Congressman Ciscomani for the work he has done to support farmers throughout AZ-06:

"The spaces between our cities and towns in Arizona's 6th Congressional District are predominantly filled with agricultural land. Desert agriculture is some of the most efficient and productive in the nation, but this does not mean farming and ranching in our state isn't faced with a broad array of issues. It is refreshing to know Congressman Ciscomani has worked on behalf of those who produce our food and fiber.

"He contributed lines to the One Big Beautiful Bill for cattle ranchers who have suffered cattle losses as the result of the presence of federally-protected Mexican Gray Wolf. Time and again, he has highlighted the importance keeping Arizona agriculturalists in business. Currently, he is working to resolve decades-old water issues among irrigators within our district. Needless to say, the future of Arizona agriculture would be much brighter if it were left solely up to Juan Ciscomani."

Ben and his wife, Ashley, were recent national second-place winners in the 2024 Young Farmer and Rancher Excellence in Agriculture competition, just one of the many ways in which they have worked to carry on the legacy of excellent ranching.

Throughout his career, Ben has accomplished great work in Arizona's agriculture industry. He has dealt extensively with the management of endangered species, including the Mexican gray wolf. Ben has continually advocated for increased compensation for losses suffered from wolf predation, an effort that he still remains committed to.

Ben believes in the importance of embracing public land for food production, in order to ensure the stability of agricultural operation such as his own. He is a firm supporter of positive and healthy partnerships between ranchers and federal agencies as a way to nurture public understanding of the benefits that come with integrated land use.

Congressman Ciscomani is honored to invite Ben to accompany him to the 2026 State of the Union in our nation's Capital and looks forward to this opportunity to highlight an invaluable member of Arizona's Sixth Congressional District. Individuals such as Ben are who make southeastern Arizona the rich and unique region it is.

See Ben's reaction to the Congressman's invitation HERE.

You can read more about Ben Menges and how his efforts have impacted southeastern Arizona HERE and HERE.

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