MADISON, Wis. — The head of the Circus World Museum in Baraboo for the past six years is leaving his post to take a position at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.

The Farm Bureau announced Monday that former Republican state Rep. Stephen Freese had been hired as its chief administrative officer. He takes over for Roger Cliff, who is retiring this year after 40 years at the Farm Bureau.

Freese has been chief executive officer at Circus World since 2007. Under his leadership the museum saw attendance increase 37 percent. He also successfully rebuffed Gov. Scott Walker's plan this year to have the state Historical Society take over Circus World.

Freeze will oversee all day-to-day operations at the Farm Bureau, Wisconsin's largest general farm organization beginning in August.