County Activities of Excellence
The AFBF County Activities of Excellence (CAE) Awards celebrate unique, volunteer-driven programming at the local level. The CAE program categorizes county activities into the following areas: Education and Ag Promotion, Member Services, Public Relations and Information, Leadership Development, Policy Implementation and Safety.
Application Process
Applications are available for county Farm Bureaus to enter the County Activities of Excellence (CAE) Awards program. The CAE showcases up to 24 of the top innovative and unique county Farm Bureau activities in the nation. These county Farm Bureaus and their award-winning programs serve as examples for other county Farm Bureaus and display the strength of Farm Bureau volunteers working together to enhance rural and agricultural communities. Applications are judged based on county Farm Bureau membership groupings and multi-county collaborative efforts.
Award Winners
Counties will display their winning activities at the AFBF Annual Convention and Trade Show in Charlotte, North Carolina. County award winners will receive up to four free registrations to the Annual Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $4,500 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. All winners will receive special instructions on convention registration, housing and the trade show following the announcements of the winning programs. Questions can be directed to Hope Lerman, AFBF Program Assistant, Leadership, Education, & Engagement at hlerman@fb.org.
Looking for Inspiration?
Looking for inspiration for your own county activities, but can’t make it to convention? Check out some past successful programming by navigating the CAE archives on Dropbox.
Timeline
- Activities Completed: September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026
- Application Opens: June 15, 2026
- Entry Deadline: September 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm EDT
- State Approval Deadline: September 9, 2026 at 9:00 am EDT
- Winners Announced: the first week of October 2026
- Winners Display at Tradeshow in Charlotte, North Carolina: January 8 – 13, 2027
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