On April 9, Kentucky Farm Bureau announced the launch of its new Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative. The KFTI is a strategic project focused on helping farm families find ways to keep their acreage in active agricultural production as they consider the future of that land.

The need for efforts like the KFTI increases each year, but that importance was highlighted when the recently released 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture revealed that Kentucky lost 17,000 farms and 1.4 million acres of farmland over the last 20 years.

KFB has also created an online resource through the KFTI to help farm families navigate the land ownership transition process. The new website – kyfarmlandtransition.com – will connect farmers to a variety of resources and assistance providers who make the transition more understandable and achievable.

Eddie Melton, Kentucky Farm Bureau president, said Kentucky’s farm families are looking for ways to keep farmland in active production, and this initiative will help support them in that goal.

“With the loss of land we are seeing in the Commonwealth, now is the time to start these conversations and find ways to get these families connected to the resources they need,” Melton continued. “There are already several great resources available in Kentucky that we want to make sure people know about, but, through this Initiative, we will also engage directly with those involved in transition planning to see what else is needed and could be developed.”

The KFTI launches with three main objectives:

• Increase public education about and involvement in farmland transition;
• Gather and provide technical assistance and localized resources to assist families who desire to transition farmland; and
• Pursue state and federal policy development that will help keep production agriculture at the forefront of farmland transition and ease common burdens associated with that process.

Increasing awareness of the shrinking acreage devoted to agriculture in Kentucky is a key component to improving conditions for farmland transition. As such, the KFTI website will house numerous local resources on the subject and give Kentuckians a way to provide feedback about the growing needs of the initiative itself. Stories of new farm ownership and transitioning challenges will be shared online to help steer farm families through the process, and other organizations and businesses are invited to join the KFTI Network to share their expertise, upcoming events and resources related to farmland transition planning.

The KFTI website will connect visitors to technical assistance and information provided by attorneys, CPAs and others working with farmers on land ownership changes. This online resource will grow as Kentucky farm families use the site to submit their thoughts on further programs and assistance needed so the KFTI Network can assess and locate additional resources to meet those needs.

Knowing that governmental support is crucial to make this initiative successful, the KFTI will review state and federal policies currently in place and make proposals for new policies related to farm transitions where needed. Preserving family farm ownership, today and into the future, is critical to the KFTI mission, and effective policy development will help protect this time-honored and essential industry.

Over the next several months, the KFTI will continue to expand its library of resources, allowing more Kentucky families to create plans that keep farmland in active production and placing agriculture on the forefront of lawmakers’ minds. To learn more about the Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative or to join the effort, go to kyfarmlandtransition.com.

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Since 2000, the population in Lexington County, South Carolina, has increased by 41%, growing the once rural farming town to a bustling city with over 304,797 residents. Home to over 12,000 acres of rich farmland, the residential boom has impacted local farm families as land is used for urban development.

Understanding that the average American is three to four generations removed from the farm, Lexington County Farm Bureau sought to highlight the importance of agriculture in their community.

Using America's favorite pastime as a hook, Lexington County Farm Bureau partnered with the local collegiate baseball team, the Lexington County Blowfish, to create Homegrown Home Runs, a two-day event filled with baseball and agriculture appreciation.

Planning and Implementation

The preparation needed for Homegrown Home Runs was no small lift. The Lexington County Farm Bureau planning committee worked with the baseball team’s owner to review dates and costs associated with stadium amenities. Once costs were determined, a detailed budget was created and reviewed by the county Farm Bureau board.

After budget approval, the Lexington County Farm Bureau legislative committee hosted the county’s annual legislative breakfast at the baseball stadium. Elected officials were given event details and extended a formal invitation to Homegrown Home Runs, where they would have a VIP room to enjoy the festivities while discussing current issues in agriculture.

The public relations committee focused on event promotion; strategies included a social media campaign, press releases and member email promotions. At the event, a donated tractor served as a photo booth for attendees and a Farm Bureau booth shared organization information and local agriculture knowledge. In honor of June being national dairy month, pints of milk were given away during and after the game.

Building on their strong relationships with local school districts, the county Woman’s Leadership Committee honored teachers by deeming night one as “Educator’s Night.” Educators were provided free game tickets, prizes and classroom resources. Members staffed a Farm Bureau information table offering Farm Bureau cookbooks and giveaway bags containing soy crayons and agricultural coloring books. South Carolina Farm Bureau’s Ag Simulator and Mobile Learning Lab were also on site.

The Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee created activities for the baseball team and fans, including a goat milking contest, pedal pull tractor race, kiss a pig contest and a fireworks show. They also worked with the baseball team to create custom Homegrown Home Run jerseys with the names of various local commodities on the back. The jerseys were later auctioned off, with proceeds going to county Farm Bureau scholarships.

Homegrown Home Run’s Impact

Lexington County Farm Bureau sought to accomplish three goals with Homegrown Home Runs:

• Increase awareness of local agriculture for 10,000 people by celebrating all it provides to the community.
• Strategically connect existing Farm Bureau programs and two community partners in local agriculture education and promotion.
• Increase the involvement of 30 Farm Bureau members in this effort through the use of existing and new county committees.

Goal one was quickly surpassed when nearly 2,500 people attended the events, and an additional 1,500 people watched online. Through social media, Lexington County Farm Bureau interacted with roughly 60,000 people, and over 40,000 people were reached through local news channels. In total, event promotion and coverage reached 104,000 people.

Thanks to strong community relationships, the collegiate baseball team and local educators were swiftly identified as partners for Homegrown Home Runs. New connections between YF&R members and legislative officials put the spotlight on current issues in agriculture and built the foundation for continued conversations.

For Homegrown Home Runs to be successful, Farm Bureau member engagement from the entire county was needed. County board leaders stressed the importance of involvement and delegating decision-making with an open line of communication. Slightly more than 100 member volunteers participated, totaling over 1,000 combined hours in the creation, planning and implementation of the event.

County Activities of Excellence

Homegrown Home Runs earned Lexington County Farm Bureau an American Farm Bureau Federation 2023 County Activities of Excellence Award. They displayed their winning activity at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January.

County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here. 

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My life has been truly blessed by working alongside volunteers for four decades. They are the heart and soul of a non-profit organization, including the Farm Bureau. Their commitment, dedication, passion and time are the reasons for our success in advocacy and programming.

Volunteers matter! They enrich our communities, from the township level to the legislature and from the church pew to our schools.

The volunteers I work with have had a positive and profound effect on me. I enjoy the time spent with them and I look forward to the opportunity to surface new volunteers and work with them, learning their goals and providing resources to help them stretch and grow.

Just the other day, during a very busy spring on the farm, eight volunteers made themselves available to unload a semitruck of donated food for their local community food shelf. They showed up early, rolled up their sleeves and sorted bags of onions and potatoes while waiting for the semi to arrive. As the truck backed into place, they downed their jackets, grabbed wheeled platforms and unloaded over 5,700 pounds of boxed food in less than an hour, then opened the boxes and stocked the shelves. They did this without complaint, in fact they joked about how this was their conditioning for moving seed bags later in the day.

The volunteers I know are vital to ensuring that their organizations succeed because they are willing to show up, give generously of their time and talents, and are dependable. They serve without asking a question when they see a need and their enthusiasm is contagious!

As National Volunteer Week is recognized each April (21st – 27th this year), volunteers are not looking for accolades, praise or recognition. As a matter of fact, they’ll quickly brush aside a thank you and respond with a quick “happy to help” smile as they soldier on.

We need to encourage volunteerism in the next generation and support the mentorship of those who give today. We should also share that living a life of service provides a feeling of satisfaction from knowing you have contributed to the betterment of a cause and made a difference.

As our volunteers age, it’s important to provide opportunities to the next generation for micro-volunteering, which can be a perfect fit for those who are not looking for long-term commitment yet want to contribute to their community and special interests in meaningful ways. Younger volunteers will learn how to organize, set goals, and gain experience, if we just let them and give up some of control. Their involvement will result in their friends becoming interested, attending and contributing – igniting contagious energy with the potential to multiply and enrich us all.

As we celebrate volunteers and their contributions during National Volunteer Week and throughout the year, consider that we all have the same amount of time: 60 minutes in an hour, seven days in a week and 52 weeks in a year. It is a personal decision on how we use our time but be assured that volunteers make a difference. They are modern day change-makers because they continue to step up and offer to serve.

Through my work, I’ve known volunteers from coast to coast, I’ve worked beside them and watched as they lend a hand, stepped into leadership, and extended themselves to others. They are alumni of the local FFA Chapter; serve on the county fair board, or coach the local 4-H team. They serve their community in hundreds of different ways. As I count my many blessings, my gratitude for these volunteers continues to grow. I just can’t imagine my world without them. I thank all of them for making a difference in my community…enriching me with your generosity and willingness to give of yourself and your time.

Robin E. Kinney is director of membership and marketing for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.

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Registration is open for the Women’s ACE (Advocate, Cultivate, Empower) Summit, a two-day event offering national learning sessions and advocacy training opportunities for Farm Bureau women. Also known as the “new and improved Farm Bureau Women’s D.C. Fly-In,” the ACE Summit will be held in Washington, D.C., June 3-5. It is open to all Farm Bureau women and there is no limit to how many women may register per state until May 3 (or until the registration limit of 200 attendees is reached).

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Xochitl Torres Small will give the keynote address during the opening general session. She is the first Latina to hold this position at USDA. Prior to her current role, Torres Small served as under secretary for rural development, overseeing loans and grants to provide infrastructure improvements; business development; affordable housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. During her leadership, USDA Rural Development secured $2 billion to support rural broadband through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Randi Braun, an expert at helping high-performing women thrive in demanding roles, will share insights with attendees during her keynote address at the closing general session. Braun is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of “Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work,” a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and CEO and founder of the women’s leadership firm, Something Major.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall will also speak to attendees. His perspective on the difference engaged members can make when it comes to advocacy is straightforward. “Amongthe most powerful tools to inspire action are the real life stories of farmers and ranchers across the country,” he noted in a recent The Zipline column.

Led by Chair Isabella Chism, the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee hosts the ACE Summit every other year (even years). All events, with the exception of visits to Capitol Hill, will take place at the Holiday Inn Capitol and AFBF headquarters office in Washington, D.C.

Bayer CropScience is an AFB Women’s Leadership Committee program sponsor; the ACE Summit is sponsored by Nutrien, T-Mobile and JBS.

Learn more and register here.

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Through its annual County Activities of Excellence Awards, the American Farm Bureau Federation celebrates county Farm Bureaus for their unique, volunteer-driven programming. The following counties are being recognized for their programs and activities in 2022 and 2023. The programs featured here focused on education and agricultural promotion.

Books and Barns Ag Literacy Project –Trumbull County Farm Bureau, Ohio

The Books and Barns Ag Literacy Project, created by Trumbull County Farm Bureau, is a dynamic initiative aimed at promoting agricultural education, fostering a love for reading and building positive perceptions of agriculture among children. The project focuses on hosting “Storytime with a Farmer” sessions, constructing book barns for local classrooms, and donating accurate agriculture books to local libraries.

This project was targeted toward urban youth to help increase their agricultural literacy. A key objective of the Books and Barns Ag Literacy project is to inspire young people to consider careers and opportunities within the agricultural sector. By nurturing an early interest in agriculture, the project hopes to cultivate a new generation of individuals who may choose to pursue careers in farming, agribusiness or related fields.

Local Agriculture Activity Book –Logan and Auglaize County Farm Bureaus, Ohio

Logan and Auglaize County Farm Bureaus partnered to create an agriculture activity book for community youth. The activity book is a one-of-a-kind coloring and lesson book featuring several counties’ agricultural resources. It highlights farmers from four neighboring counties and the commodities they grow and includes age-appropriate activities and games for kids.

In celebration of National Ag Day, the workbook was distributed to over 3,500 students and used as an educational tool in numerous classrooms. Many teachers and parents shared positive feedback about the books and the impact they have had on local youth. Logan and Auglaize counties look forward to expanding the project in the future.

Farmers Corral Agriculture Learning Center - Brazoria-Galveston County Farm Bureau, Texas

With the number of urban residents increasing within their counties, Brazoria-Galveston County Farm Bureau created the Farmers Corral, an agricultural learning center, for the counties’ fairs in April and October. The center had 10 stations, five of those including live animals, to educate about various aspects of agriculture and was run by multiple adult and youth volunteers from local FFA, 4-H and ag extension groups.

A total of 15,000 people went through the Farmers Corral, which also generated a lot of traffic to the fairs via social media and word of mouth. This project strengthened Farm Bureau’s relationship with the urban community and helped build trust between farmers and their consumers.

Harvest Fest – Johnson County Farm Bureau, Texas

Johnson County Farm Bureau created “Harvest Fest” to better connect local consumers and commodity producers while also fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for how food travels from farm to fork.

The event took place at a local baseball game and offered interactive activities, like a combine simulator and commodity stations, and allowed game attendees to meet farmers and other volunteers who answered agriculture-related questions.

By combining America's favorite pastime with agriculture, the event appealed to a broad audience, fostering a sense of community and promoting a deeper appreciation for both baseball and the agricultural sector.

These counties displayed their winning activities at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January. County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here.

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Through its annual County Activities of Excellence Awards, the American Farm Bureau Federation celebrates county Farm Bureaus for their unique, volunteer-driven programming. The following counties are being recognized for their programs and activities in 2022 and 2023. The programs featured here focused on education and agricultural promotion.

Farm Bureau Market Night –Mercer County Farm Bureau, Kentucky

Mercer County Farm Bureau hosted a Farm Bureau Market Night to encourage members to buy locally grown products. Educational signage was displayed throughout the event explaining the value that buying local adds to the community.

The event was held during the annual county meeting and attracted over 250 members. Eight vendors participated, including the agritourism venue where the market night was held.

Attendees and vendors enjoyed being able to connect and build relationships. Mercer County Farm Bureau plans to continue hosting this event with the goal of increasing their vendors and attendees each year.

Choo Choo Choose Agriculture! –Cape Girardeau County Farm Bureau, Missouri

With a goal of reaching a new audience within their community, Cape Girardeau County Farm Bureau sponsored a historic train ride. Normally, just one train ride takes place each Saturday, but the idea of an agricultural-related theme ride was so well received they held two rides to accommodate all the interested community members.

The event also featured agricultural vendors, activities for participants and programming on the train. Activities included a reading of an accurate agriculture book, scavenger hunt, a commodity booth and play areas. Choo Choo Choose Agriculture reached over 150 community members with many of them asking for additional resources related to agriculture.

Small Agriculture Conference – Clark County Farm Bureau, Nevada

Clark County Farm Bureau held an agriculture-focused conference to provide small-scale and urban agricultural producers with educational opportunities and a chance to network with one another. The conference featured breakout sessions on beekeeping, vegetable production, hydroponics, poultry, agritourism, value-added agriculture and research from the local demonstration garden.

In addition, there were breakout sessions that focused on time and stress management, business planning, marketing and promotion, and farm taxes. Two panels were held – an update and discussion on meat processing in Nevada and opportunities in Farm Bureau, which featured four members representing different Farm Bureau programs. USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service and Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education also presented on their programs, loan opportunities, insurance programs and grants.

Farm to Fork Goes to Town – Fayette County Farm Bureau, Ohio

Each year Fayette County Farm Bureau hosts a farm-to-fork event highlighting different members of the community. In 2023, Fayette County Farm Bureau focused on reaching their urban residences through “Farm to Fork Goes to Town,” an educational mix-and-mingle. Attendees created their very own butter board by visiting seven stations of locally produced products.

At the stations, attendees were educated on how each ingredient was grown or produced and processed to reach their butter board. Each attendee was given a passport card to fill out as they visited each mix-and-mingle station. The stations included dairy, grains, herbs, beef and pollinators.

Tomato to Table, A Breakfast on the Farm Event – Fulton County Farm Bureau, Ohio

To better inform consumers about how farmers produce quality food while caring for the environment, Fulton County Farm Bureau hosted “Tomato to Table,” an on-farm event that allowed local community members to travel to a Farm Bureau member’s tomato farm. On the day of the event, over 3,000 attendees were fed a healthy breakfast made with products from their local community. Due to the large turnout, an additional 17 stations were created, covering a variety of topics related to machinery, animal agriculture, crops and safety.

County Ag Tour - Okmulgee County Farm Bureau, Oklahoma

Recognizing the need for a fun and engaging way to educate the public about the different aspects of agriculture and connect consumers with local farmers, Okmulgee County Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee held a county ag tour.

Attendees gathered on a tour bus that took them to various farms within the county. Presenters talked about a variety of topics and answered questions from the group. Many community members have since inquired about when the next farm tour would take place; Okmulgee County Farm Bureau looks forward to expanding future tours.

These counties displayed their winning activities at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January. County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here.

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Through its annual County Activities of Excellence Awards, the American Farm Bureau Federation celebrates county Farm Bureaus for their unique, volunteer-driven programming. The following counties are being recognized for their programs and activities in 2022 and 2023. The programs featured here focused on education and agricultural promotion. 

YF&R Shindig Social – Webster, Greene and Christian County Farm Bureaus, Missouri

The annual YF&R Shindig is a gathering focused on food, fellowship and family fun hosted by Webster, Greene and Christian County Farm Bureaus. The event was created to encourage networking across the region while also providing an opportunity for interaction with potential new Farm Bureau members.

Members from 14 counties attended the 2022 Shindig, accounting for 74% of counties in the region and doubling attendance from 2021. The event included a complimentary steak dinner, dessert and trivia.

Piggies, Pie, Play Ball, and Putt-Putt – Clinton County Farm Bureau, Ohio

Clinton County Farm Bureau’s Piggies, Pie, Play Ball, and Putt-Putt is designed to help at-risk youth learn responsibility, ownership and leadership skills by raising a hog for the county fair. The program provides at least one pig per year to a child with money raised through an annual dessert auction.

While providing at-risk youth an outlet outside of traditional community service, Piggies, Pie, Play Ball, and Putt-Putt also connects them with Farm Bureau members who provide mentorship.

Shine in the Show Ring – Henry County Farm Bureau, Ohio

Shine in the Show Ring is a one-of-a-kind livestock show that connects individuals with developmental disabilities with junior livestock exhibitors who provide individualized training to elevate the participants’ strengths and self-esteem. Two Farm Bureau members led a committee of 14 members who developed and implemented a plan for this event, which paired 32 participants with 40 mentors.

Over 750 people attended Shine in the Show Ring to cheer on the participants and mentors. The event also garnered media attention, bringing positive exposure to Farm Bureau. Fifteen additional county Farm Bureaus have since implemented this show in their own counties across multiple states.

Youth Discussion Meet and Public Speaking Contest – Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Texas

To provide opportunities for youth development and urban outreach within their county, Montgomery County Farm Bureau created a youth discussion meet and public speaking contest. The contest provided educational opportunities and helped students develop workplace skills.

Sixty-three youth contestants participated in the event while spreading awareness about various agricultural topics to fair attendees. In addition to receiving one-on-one feedback from judges, the youth also learned about agriculture-related career opportunities.

These counties displayed their winning activities at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January. County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here. 

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This article is part of a series highlighting Farm Bureau members who have recently completed their term on AFBF’s national Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. The objective of the YF&R program is to surface, grow and develop young Farm Bureau members (ages 18-35) and provide them opportunities and experiences to strengthen their leadership and ensure effective Farm Bureaus.

Where were you before you both served on AFBF’s national Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee?

Danielle Clark – Tim and I were newlyweds before we served on the committee. We were married in June 2014 and appointed to the committee in 2015. He was just finishing up his term as chair of the Wisconsin Young Farmer & Agriculturalist Committee, working as a district sales manager for Dairyland Seed and I was the clean air coordinator for the American Lung Association in Wisconsin. We were living on my family's farmstead in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and had a small herd of beef cattle. We had been searching for a larger farm to call our home where we could raise a family and grow a business.

What was your experience like on the committee?

Danielle Clark – Our experience was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We instantly clicked with the other members of our class. I remember feeling devastated on the last night we were together because we had created such a bond over the two years we spent together. We loved the opportunity to travel to different states to see farming in other parts of the U.S. It opened our eyes to opportunities in agriculture that we never even thought about.

What are you up to now?

Tim and Danielle Clark – Today we own and operate a small farm of our own where we specialize in pick-your-own strawberries. We got started in honey production in 2018 as a way to improve pollination, which has become a huge revenue-generating business for us. Not only has raw honey become a large part of our business, but we also handcraft, market and sell high-quality goat milk soap and other skincare products made using raw honey, beeswax and locally sourced animal fats. We are adding an apple orchard this spring along with offering additional farm camp opportunities for kids and on-farm vendor events.

Tim continues to work in the agricultural industry with Bayer Corp. as a vegetable seed supplier to national distributors. We have four children – three sons and a daughter – ranging in age from almost two to eight. We remain involved in Farm Bureau but have shifted some of our focus to serving our church and the school our children attend.

How did your experience on the committee help you get where you are today?

Tim and Danielle Clark – Our business is direct-to-consumer and we are often approached by local and state media for news stories about the activities happening on our farm. The media training we received while serving on the committee has been extremely beneficial for both of us and we often refer back to many of the concepts we learned.

Haily Sand and her husband, Ben, farm in Wisconsin and serve on AFBF’s national YF&R Committee. They grow corn, soybeans and rye grass, in addition to operating a roadside stand where they sell pumpkins, squash and sweet corn.

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Through its annual County Activities of Excellence Awards, the American Farm Bureau Federation celebrates county Farm Bureaus for their unique, volunteer-driven programming. The following counties are being recognized for their programs and activities in 2022 and 2023. The programs featured here focused on education and agricultural promotion. 

Farm Bureau Day at the Fair – Adams County Farm Bureau, Ohio

Adams County Farm Bureau hosts “Farm Bureau Day at the Fair” each Friday at the annual county fair. The event provides a relaxing and fun atmosphere for Farm Bureau members to connect and give back to their community.

Attendees enjoyed a variety of activities, including no-cost health screenings, a tractor show, watermelon eating contest, pedal tractor pull, a frog jumping contest and more. At each event, board members shared the value of Farm Bureau with the public, including member benefits and ways Farm Bureau works for farmers at the local, state and national levels.

AgTalk: A Forum for Young Farmers – Loudoun County Farm Bureau, Virginia

To proactively address issues facing young farmers, Loudoun County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee orchestrated a panel discussion featuring local young farmers and chair of the Loudon County board of supervisors. Attended by over 60 community members, the event provided six panelists an opportunity to share their story and discuss issues facing the next generation of agriculturalists.

The forum fostered dialogue, gave audience members an opportunity to ask questions and provide input, and reflected Farm Bureau’s commitment to empowering the next generation of agricultural leaders. The event not only strengthened the relationship between community members and agriculturists, but also helped to further conversations with policymakers about the importance of agriculture within the county and state.

Community Night – Winnebago County Farm Bureau, Wisconsin

Winnebago County Farm Bureau hosted a community night to connect urban community members with local farmers to talk about the important role agriculture plays in their community and state. Over 200 attendees participated in a variety of fun activities including a meet and greet with the county Farm Bureau board of directors, indoor mini golf, horse-drawn wagon rides and more.

Additionally, the event included a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, charity bingo games and a live auction, which combined raised over $6,000, with $3,300 donated to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital and $3,100 donated to the community Ag in the Classroom and county Farm Bureau programs, including the Young Farmer and Agriculturist program. The community night successfully helped bridge the divide between urban and rural life within Winnebago County while showcasing Farm Bureau’s mission to be the Voice of Agriculture.

These counties displayed their winning activities at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January. County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here. 

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Through its annual County Activities of Excellence Awards, the American Farm Bureau Federation celebrates county Farm Bureaus for their unique, volunteer-driven programming. The following counties are being recognized for their programs and activities in 2022 and 2023. The programs featured here focused on education and agricultural promotion.

Touch-A -Truck & Tractor – Coles County Farm Bureau, Illinois

With the goal of bridging the rural-urban divide while providing an interactive and fun environment, Coles County Farm Bureau hosted Touch-A-Truck & Tractor. At the event, which helped community youth learn about farm and construction equipment from local professionals who use the equipment in their daily lives, kids were able to climb into the equipment and talk with the operators.

The event also included an educational activity called “Guess the Grain” featuring locally grown crops. Buckets filled with corn, soybeans and wheat were placed on a table along with food from the grocery store. Participants were then asked to match what products came from what type of grain.

Touch-A-Tractor brought students who commonly see farm and construction equipment in their daily lives together to learn more about various types of precision agriculture.

Sow and Tell: Building Bridges in Agriculture – Shelby County Farm Bureau, Illinois

“Sow and Tell: Building Bridges in Agriculture” is a unique program designed to foster meaningful connections between farming families and classrooms. The project brought together four farming families and four classrooms for a pen pal-like program that allowed the students to have many of their farming questions answered. Comprehensive help sheets guided both farmers and students through topics of conversation each month, ensuring a variety of topics were covered.

Beyond the classroom, this program has initiated a broader dialogue about the origins of our food within students' homes, families and communities. Sow and Tell has significantly advanced the Farm Bureau’s mission by promoting the welfare of ag products within Shelby County, IL.

Farmer for a Day – Van Buren County Farm Bureau, Michigan

Van Buren County Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee conducted two “Farmer for a Day” events to educate local youth about different areas of agriculture within Michigan. Five different education stations were set up at each event, covering agricultural machinery, livestock, pollinators, blueberries and a “make and take” where students created a farm charm they could take home.

The event was hosted at the county’s two schools, ensuring it was easily accessible to all the students. Kindergarten through fifth grades participated for a total of over 900 students and 50 teachers completing all the stations. At the end of the event, each teacher was given a gift bag containing five accurate agriculture books they could use in their classroom.

“Farmer for a Day” not only helped increase Farm Bureau’s connection with local youth, but also with potential new members. Of the 20 volunteers needed to host the event, eight of them were community members who were not currently Farm Bureau members. The goal was to share the benefits and impacts that Farm Bureau has on its community and members.

I Love Strawberries – Meeker County Farm Bureau, Minnesota

To increase agricultural literacy, Meeker County Farm Bureau hosted a live reading of “I LOVE Strawberries,” written by Shannon Anderson, to 127 local first grade students. Students were given fresh strawberries to enjoy while being read the book by a local strawberry farmer and Farm Bureau members. After the reading, students had the chance to ask questions about strawberry farming and other types of agriculture.

At the event's end, each student was given their own copy of “I LOVE Strawberries” to share with their families. Additionally, each teacher was provided with an educator’s guide to use in their classroom and six strawberry plants were donated to the school garden.

Building for the Future of Agriculture – Muskingum County Farm Bureau, Ohio

One goal of the Muskingum County Farm Bureau is to increase awareness about careers in agriculture with local youth in their community. To achieve this goal, they repurposed an under used building at their county fair as a “Building for the Future of Agriculture.”

The space allowed youth to interact with displays about different careers in agriculture and participate in hands-on activities led by the summer intern and volunteers. The project reached over 1,500 fairgoers while increasing the community’s knowledge of Muskingum County Farm Bureau.

These counties displayed their winning activities at the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January. County award winners received up to four free registrations to the Convention (cost of travel and housing not included) and a $2,250 stipend to apply toward the cost of travel and exhibition. More information on the County Activities of Excellence can be found here.

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