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.
To learn more about the CAE award program, please view this 5-minute promotional video featuring a past CAE-winning idea.
Application Process
Applications become available in late June for county Farm Bureaus to enter the County Activities of Excellence (CAE) Awards program. The CAE showcases up to 24 of the top county Farm Bureau activities in the nation. These county Farm Bureaus and their award-winning activities serve as models of innovation for local program development. They also display the amazing ability of local Farm Bureau volunteers working together to strengthen the lives of rural Americans and build strong, prosperous 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 San Antonio, Texas. 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 cae@fb.org.
Acquire Ideas
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 Farm Bureau University.
Timeline
- Activities Completed: September 1, 2023 – August 29, 2024
- Application Opens: June 18, 2024
- Entry Deadline: August 30, 2024 at 5:00PM EDT
- State Approval Deadline: September 13, 2024
- Winners Announced: the first week of October 2024
- Winners Display at Tradeshow in San Antonio, Texas: January 25-27, 2025
