Local Farm Bureau Programs Recognized at AFBF Convention

The American Farm Bureau Federation will honor 24 counties at its 106th Convention in San Antonio, Jan. 24-29. The selected winners participated in the County Activities of Excellence program and demonstrated a commitment to offering quality programming to their counties. Convention attendees are encouraged to learn more about these winning programs during a trade show at the event.

“It’s a pleasure to recognize these outstanding volunteer-driven programs,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The county leaders responsible for these award-winning programs are committed to supporting rural communities and helping their urban neighbors better understand agriculture.”

The winners (listed by state and county Farm Bureau) are:

Florida

• “988 It’s OK” Mental Health Initiative, Sumter. Partnership with a local dealer to place decals on tractors promoting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Georgia

• Summer on the Farm Day Camp, Habersham. Virtual tour of different types of farming (dairy, poultry, cotton and beef) for first- through fourth-grade students.

Kentucky

• Family Fun Night at the County Fair, Bourbon. Family friendly games and activities for county fair attendees.

• Shipping Container to Liberia, Hopkins. Partnership with SOS International and local high school students to convert a 40-foot shipping container into a medical clinic for Liberian citizens on the West African coastline.

• Grain Rescue Equipment and Training, Laurel. Purchase of equipment and gear for use in grain entrapment rescues by firefighters, in addition to specialized training.

• County Farm Bureau Rodeo, Woodford. A two-day, old-fashioned rodeo to support youth programming in the county and increase agricultural awareness.

Michigan

• No Farmer, No Fair Food Exhibit, Berrien. Interactive maze at the county fair that helped attendees learn about how food comes from the farm.

• Tire Recycling Project, Saginaw. Farm and semi-truck tire recycling program.

Missouri

• Farm Safety Workshop, DeKalb. Workshop for elementary school students focusing on grain bin and chemical safety.

• The Wheels on the Farm Go Plant, Tend and Harvest, Livingston. Monthly activities at a children’s library to share information about agricultural products.

Ohio

• Cultivating Strong Futures Conference, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Trumball. A conference to address pressing issues facing farms, businesses and rural households in an evolving agricultural landscape.

• Manure Pit Safety and Rescue Training, Crawford, Marion, Morrow, Richland. Use of a manure pit safety simulator to train first responders and farmers in rescue operations.

• Taste the Future Farm Tour and Field to Table Dinner, Franklin. Scholarship fundraising event at a local land-grant university.

• Membership Mashup, Hardin. Event featuring the kickoff of the county membership drive, annual meeting and policy dinner.

• Harvest for Hunger, Holmes. Fundraiser hosted by an agritourism business to benefit four local food pantries that serve county residents in need.

• Ag Career Connections, Pike. A partnership to connect the food we eat with agriculture and explore the broad range of related careers, for audiences ranging from third graders to older adults.

Oklahoma

• Special Needs Livestock Show, Leflore. Livestock show for students in the community with disabilities, conducted in partnership with Cooperative Extension.

• Steer & Hog Feed Out Contest, Rogers. Contest to provide students with hands-on experience in production agriculture.

Tennessee

• Student Advisory Board, Lincoln. Establishment of a pilot student advisory board made up of local high school students.

Texas

• Teacher Appreciation Event, Angelina. An event hosted for one of the largest school districts in the county, to provide a meal and share Ag in the Classroom materials with teachers and other staff.

• Ag Day, Mason. Hands-on agricultural learning for kindergarten through second-grade students at the Annual Elementary Ag Day.

• Farm to Classroom Storytime, Titus. Board members read an agriculture children’s book at every elementary school in the county.

• Feral Hog Management Meeting, Washington, Austin. Informational meeting focused on strategies for feral hog management for members of the community.

Virginia

• Farm Explorer Passport Program, Frederick. A new program to boost traffic to rural farm markets and promote agriculture in the county.