The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from the supply chain disruptions, have affected nearly every sector, leaving many farmers, suppliers, manufacturers, retail outlets and consumers frustrated. Then there are the twists and turns that come with being a farmer or rancher – weather challenges, regulations, trade disputes and volatile markets, to name a few. Through it all, Farm Bureau proudly works on behalf of the families who keep our pantries stocked, the shirts on our backs and the biofuel in our cars. Key to our success are the thousands of farmers and ranchers across all 50 states and in Puerto Rico who actively participate in our grassroots policy development process and engage with their representatives in Congress and policymakers at all levels. When Farm Bureau put out the call to action on a proposal to eliminate stepped-up basis, thousands of farmers and ranchers made sure their lawmakers knew how important that provision is to help ensure we can pass our farms along to the next generation. The next generation: for many of us, that’s what farming is all about. We take great care to make sure our farm is in better shape for the next generation than when we received it. We’ve always done so, but now we’re talking about it a lot more, and implementing new solutions to protect the land and water we rely on for our lives and our livelihoods.

As you’ll see in this Impact Report, Farm Bureau’s work goes well beyond policy issues. We’re committed to engaging the next generation of farmers and helping them develop as leaders. We encourage rural entrepreneurs solving real-world agriculture problems through the Ag Innovation Challenge and we jump at the chance to give back to those in need through the Harvest for All program and many other initiatives. As a Farm Bureau leader reading the 2021 Impact Report, I hope you are proud of your organization’s accomplishments, and I thank you for all your work to get us here. To our partners and supporters, I look forward to finding ways we can have an even larger impact together. For those of you not involved in Farm Bureau, consider the Impact Report your personal invitation to join us.

God Bless,

— ZIPPY DUVALL