Members of the Ohio State University Collegiate Farm Bureau this spring traveled to a Columbus elementary school classroom to share “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” with first graders who eagerly ate up all the college students had to share about dairy farming.

The engaged first graders actively listened as the book was read and asked several questions. One even declared his intention to become a farmer. The Ohio State students rewarded their eager learners and future farmers with ice cream, bringing the book – and a bit of agriculture – full circle for the young students.

The Ohio State University Collegiate Farm Bureau expects their impact on the first graders to go well beyond the few hours they spent with them. Not only will the children have made that farm to fork (or ice cream cone) connection in the classroom, they and 11 other Columbus first grade classrooms will each get two kits that include materials that can be used year after year. The kits include a copy of “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” and a related educator’s guide, 30 ag mags, a reusable activity and a resources folder that contains QR codes and links to all the materials online.

There were lessons for the collegiate Farm Bureau members, too. Those who participated learned that agricultural advocacy takes many forms and is as just as important and effective in the classroom as it is in the state capitol or Washington, D.C.

The endeavor also elevated the collegiate Farm Bureau in the eyes of students who would have previously described it as an “ag club.” By engaging with the young Columbus students, they showed they’re an active organization having an impact in the community while advocating for agriculture.

Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program

To help fund the classroom visit and the 24 kits they provided to 12 first grade classrooms in Columbus, the Ohio State University Collegiate Farm Bureau applied for a mini-grant offered by the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program. This grant provides $500 to Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters for activities such as recruitment, leadership development, community service, officer training, educational materials or conference registrations.

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By Jaiden Cain

The Delaware Farm Bureau, in partnership with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, has launched a new mental health awareness initiative aimed at supporting the well-being of the agricultural community. As part of the campaign, stickers featuring the national suicide and crisis hotline number, 988, have been produced for placement in tractor cabs, farm offices and other highly visible areas. The goal is to remind farmers and rural residents that “it’s okay to not be okay,” and that help is always available.

The stickers are free and available to anyone who would like to distribute or display them. DEFB and DDA are encouraging agricultural businesses, equipment dealerships and service providers to make these stickers accessible to their customers and networks.

“Delaware’s farm families work tirelessly to feed our communities and care for our land. Yet many carry burdens beyond reaping the harvest. Fluctuating markets, unpredictable weather and rising costs take a profound toll on their mental well-being,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Don Clifton. “Amid all the uncertainties related to farming, I hope we have reached a point as a community where we make this a certainty, we are determined to meet our shared responsibility to ensure that those who feed us have mental health resources and support available to them. Let us cultivate a culture where seeking help is a sign of strength and every struggling farmer knows that they are not alone.”

The stressors associated with farming, including long hours, isolation, and high operational costs, can take a serious toll on mental health. In response, the American Farm Bureau Federation created the Farm State of Mind campaign, a nationwide effort to reduce stigma, raise awareness, and provide vital mental health resources to farmers and ranchers. The campaign includes helpful tips and tools for those who are struggling, as well as guidance for those supporting someone in need. These resources can be accessed at www.fb.org/initiative/farm-state-of-mind.

Steve Breeding, DEFB first vice president and Sussex County Farm Bureau president, is currently serving on the AFBF Promotion and Engagement Committee where he has worked to help promote mental health awareness nationwide.

“After going through a time when my own mental health was at its lowest, I know how hard it can be to admit you need help, and even harder to actually ask for it,” said Breeding. “Seeing the Farm State of Mind 988 flyer and making that call was the best decision of my life. I hope these stickers help someone else make that same life-changing decision.”

For those in Delaware looking for more information or to request stickers, contact alexis.langenfelder@defb.org or call the Delaware Farm Bureau office at 302-697-3183.

Jaiden Cain is the membership & outreach coordinator for Delaware Farm Bureau.

Editor’s note: A similar program launched by Sumter County Farm Bureau in Florida inspired Delaware Farm Bureau to partner with the state Department of Agriculture to make the stickers available.

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By Cleveland Jackson

Reflecting on their Farm Bureau involvement, Dustin and Harmony Cox, former American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee members, say it’s the relationships that fueled their passion and provided a lasting impact.

The Cox family, from Alton, Utah, seemingly never sleeps. Between activities for their six girls – yes, you read that right, six girls, a farm-to-table distribution business, first-generation cattle ranch, hay brokerage business, Airbnb home rental and cowboy destination experiences, they have a lot going on but are quick to point out Farm Bureau’s impact on their lives.

In a scenario not uncommon in Farm Bureau, Dustin and Harmony went unassumingly to their first local meeting and walked out as county YF&R chairs. In fact, Dustin attributes their success in Farm Bureau to the day their county placed them in that role. County service quickly led to a two-year term as Utah YF&R chairs and then on to the national committee, where Harmony served as secretary and as a member of the Discussion Meet Subcommittee and Dustin served on the Promotions Subcommittee.

Like all good things that must eventually come to an end, Dustin and Harmony aged out of the YF&R program, but not without purpose. While some may see the age limit as a barrier to growth, Dustin and Harmony saw it as a sign to step back and focus on raising their family and pouring into their daughters. Life allowed them to slow down and serve as county Farm Bureau president (Dustin) and as board members.

Now, 10 years after serving on the YF&R committee, Dustin and Harmony are back in statewide leadership, serving as state chairs of the Utah Farm Bureau Promotion & Engagement Committee. A few minutes on social media will reveal the love they both have for sharing the story of agriculture with the public. They see their time serving in this role as an opportunity to connect consumers to all facets of Farm Bureau and agriculture.

Harmony believes it’s the “micro-influencers” who will move the needle with those less connected to their food supply. “It’s not the person with a million or 2 million followers who will make the most impact; it’s the one with 2,000-5,000 followers who is intentional about making connections and sharing the story of agriculture,” says Harmony.

And it’s that love for agriculture and sharing their story that keeps the Cox family engaged. In a world where people are often chasing something they are not, Dustin encourages YF&R members serving at all levels to be authentic. While they are first-generation ranchers, Dustin and Harmony’s roots in agriculture run deep and they have certainly remained true to their faith and family principles on their leadership journey.

Cleveland Jackson serves on the AFBF YF&R Committee. He and his wife, Emilia, own and operate Jackson Farms, a commercial cow-calf operation, and Buttermilk Blooms, a cut flower farm, in Georgia. Cleve works off the farm for Elanco Animal Health as a senior account executive in the Poultry Business Unit.

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To remind farmers that help is just a phone call or text away, Sumter County (Florida) Farm Bureau and Everglades Equipment Group partnered in 2024 to put a decal with the 988 suicide prevention and lifeline hotline in every Everglades John Deere cab tractor sold throughout Florida.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the United States.

“Farmers face everyday challenges that can take a toll on mental well-being,” James Sutton, Sumter County Farm Bureau president, said when the partnership was launched. “Extreme weather events, financial uncertainty, unstable markets and labor shortages are just some of the stressors farmers and ranchers face. By incorporating mental health awareness into the everyday environment of farms, we hope to build a culture where everyone will recognize that it’s ok not to be ok and to ask for help.”

Tommie Peebles III, site manager of Everglades Equipment Group in Leesburg, Florida, said his company was honored to partner with Farm Bureau to address mental health in the agricultural community. “By leveraging the visibility of John Deere tractors, we have an opportunity to reach farmers statewide and ensure they know where to turn for help. If we can save one person, it’s a success.”

In addition to the 988 decals, Farm Bureau created a companion flyer that provides signs to look for when someone may be hurting and includes the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline call or text number and resources such as the AFBF Farm State of Mind Resource directory. Florida Farm Bureau also promoted the program and farmer mental health resources via their Facebook account.

The 988 decal program partnership with Everglades Equipment Group garnered Sumter County a 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence Award. Sumter County and the other CAE winners displayed their winning activities at the AFBF Convention in San Antonio, Texas, earlier this year.

In addition, earlier this month, Florida Farm Bureau received an AFBF Communications Award for their promotion of the program and mental health resources.

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By John Sachse

Nestled near Leavenworth, Kansas, the Sachse family has been stewarding their land since the 1930s when the first members arrived from Germany. Originally cultivated with corn, soybeans, clover and oats, this rich farmland has supported five generations of Sachses (so far). Today, John Sachse continues the family tradition but with a modern twist — combining livestock production with resiliency and lifestyle coaching.

John grew up on the family farm, but it wasn't always his plan to return. Until his involvement in high school FFA and deep engagement with his education at Kansas State University, he had no interest in eventually coming back to the farm.

"Before FFA, I was much more interested in playing sports, especially baseball," John recalls. "I had the opportunity to play baseball in college, but ultimately turned down a few offers so I could continue my education in K-State’s College of Agriculture. My experiences there expanded my horizons. I realized the farm offered unique possibilities."

John's perspective further broadened through his next two ventures, first as an agriculture aid on U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran's staff then in a role with the Kansas Beef Council.

"Working on agricultural issues and connecting with farmers and ranchers within the political realm gave me fresh insights and renewed my interest in returning to farming and ranching," John explains.

Following his time with the Beef Council, John embarked on a new chapter by enlisting in the Kansas Army National Guard, fulfilling a longtime desire to serve his country.

It was during his officer training, witnessing the effects that stress, burden and worry can have on performance, that John discovered an even deeper calling to serve others through resiliency coaching. This realization aligned seamlessly with his desire to return to his roots at the family farm and ranch. Embracing this opportunity, John launched his coaching business, RanchFIT, which allowed him to introduce innovation while supporting others in their personal and professional growth.

John's current roles as an Army National Guard officer, rancher and coach have combined to give him a perspective that is crucial in aiding clients, including fellow farmers and ranchers, to take just one step toward mental wellbeing. In an industry that often presents both physical and mental challenges, John coaches his clients to reframe the stresses and struggles they face as opportunities for growth.

One of the steps John encourages his clients to take is incorporating physical fitness into their daily life. Each December, the Sachse family opens their ranch to the public to host a ruck event — a form of hiking with weight on your back — offering distance options of 5k, 10k, and 20k. This event provides individuals the opportunity to engage in something both physically and mentally demanding to build confidence for the new year.

Through integrating new ideas and emphasizing resiliency, John is steering the family farm and ranch into a promising future. This, coupled with his commitment to promoting positive lifestyle changes, challenging the narrative and pushing people to discover the best versions of themselves, underscores the evolving legacy of the Sachse farm — where tradition meets innovation in a supportive family environment.

John Sachse is a fourth-generation rancher, men's mindset coach and Kansas Army National Guard officer. Learn more about RanchFIT coaching here.

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By Allison Whiten

Sara Bullis shows that anyone can be involved in agriculture and Farm Bureau as long as they have passion. Sara currently lives in Vermont with her new husband and fur baby. While she is passionate about agriculture now, her story did not start out that way.

Sara did not grow up with an agriculture background. As she said, “You can’t have a cow in a one-acre lot in the suburbs.” Her agriculture story began in high school through FFA and agriscience biotechnology. Through her involvement in these programs, she found a love of farming that’s evident when you speak to her. Sara continued to foster this passion through college. While attending the University of Vermont, Sara participated in the Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM) program, during which she learned about dairy health and management while working with other students to care for the dairy herd.

Sara struggled early on to identify as a farmer because she was not farming 365 days a year. As she became more involved with Farm Bureau and agriculture, that changed. Sara has served as the Grand Isle County Young Farmers & Ranchers chair in Vermont, in addition to serving on the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee from 2022 to 2024. When asked why she became involved with Farm Bureau, she replied, “I wanted to be involved in agriculture outside of my professional job.”

In addition to her full-time job as a mail carrier, Sara also works with her husband on their fourth-generation dairy farm. On the farm, she helps to manage yearly house rentals as well as artificial insemination for their herd. In addition, she is the Grand Isle County Farm Bureau president and serves as her county’s Promotion & Engagement Committee chair. Through Farm Bureau, she has found that anyone can identify with agriculture. She says, “As long as you tell your story, you're going to be a good advocate.”

In striving to be part of the “The Unifying Voice of Vermont Agriculture,” Sara shares the same mission as Vermont Farm Bureau. She has found that she can represent farmers who like to stay in the background and struggle to share their voice. She uses her experiences and strengths to share agriculture’s story.

Sara is open to engaging and working with everyone, regardless of their agricultural or Farm Bureau background. She reminds members to not be afraid to get involved, encouraging them to dive right in. She learned and grew the most when she got involved in agriculture and Farm Bureau and asked questions. She also stressed the importance of being involved on the national level, even if it is just attending a conference. Through the conferences, members get to meet people from all over the world and connect on the things they have in common, particularly their passions, and learn from their differences.. She also gave a wonderful reminder that there isn’t a stupid question. So many farmers love to talk about what they do and will welcome someone who is getting answers straight from the source. As she stated, “You don’t know unless you ask.”

Allison Whiten and her husband, Andy, serve on the AFBF YF&R Committee. They grow corn, wheat and soybeans in South Carolina. In addition to the row crops, Whiten Farms produces poultry. Allison is a special education teacher at a local elementary school and also leads a school-based 4-H club.

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Launched for the 2023-2024 school year, Michigan Farm Bureau’s Farm Science Van allowed the organization to reach 2,130 additional kindergarten-fifth grade students at 14 schools, an 11% increase from the previous school year’s engagement through their Farm Science Labs.

The Farm Science Van’s trained educators deliver in-school lessons that align with content standards and agricultural literacy, providing schools with the convenience of a hands-on agriculture learning experience without the hassle of transportation or field trip permissions.

Farm Science Programs

Michigan Farm Bureau’s FARM Science Programs began in 2016 with one FARM Science Lab, a concept developed by the state Promotion & Education Committee and supported through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The program has since expanded to two labs, which travel statewide to offer kindergarten through fifth grade students a hands-on, field-trip-like experience. Annually, with the support of county Farm Bureaus, the programs reach 19,000 students, representing on average 12% to 15% of Michigan’s total kindergarten through fifth-grade student enrollment.

Exploring Options

As their 40-foot classrooms started to show their age and maintenance, space and transportation challenges kept popping up, Michigan Farm Bureau began exploring other consumer engagement options with an eye toward increasing engagement and education, minimizing transportation issues and providing more flexibility.

Michigan Farm Bureau conducted a deep dive on the Labs and alternatives that included market research, teacher surveys, stakeholder feedback and a comparison of the Labs to a van to ensure cost-effectiveness.

Much of the Van program’s design is based on Lab customers’ feedback. The new offering caters to smaller schools, homeschool groups and inner-city schools with a one-day minimum reservation, compared to the Labs’ two-day minimum. In addition, the Van costs $125 per day less than the Labs, making it more cost-effective.

Reach and Engagement Up

The Van helped Michigan Farm Bureau achieve its goal of reachin more students, with participation growing from more than 19,000 students and 1,000 educators on average each school year to more than 21,130 students when the Van program was launched for the 2023-2024 school year.

On top of the additional 2,130 students across 14 schools Michigan Farm Bureau reached through the Farm Science Van program, teacher feedback also suggests the Van is more effective for connecting with students, with a 5% higher rating for student engagement and learning compared to the Labs.

New Horizon Award

The Farm Science Van garnered Michigan Farm Bureau a 2025 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.

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Spurred by a lack of conservation trusts for working farm, ranch and forest lands in one of the fastest-growing states, South Carolina Farm Bureau members in 2021 directed state Farm Bureau staff to explore creating such a trust. A wholly owned subsidiary of South Carolina Farm Bureau, South Carolina Farm Bureau Land Trust was launched in 2023 and has since protected 4,801 acres of working agricultural land worth over $5 million for the farmer landowners. In addition, there are 17,304 acres worth over $15 million in various stages of the easement process.

Equally as important as protecting the land is ensuring farmers and ranchers can continue to grow a crop sustainably on those protected lands while still being able to make business decisions based on their operation’s viability, including changing the commodities grown or practices used.

Easing Development Pressure

The trust helps ease the pressure many of the states’ farmers and ranchers are feeling with high inflation and low commodity prices offering little chance for an acceptable return on investment, making selling or developing their land a more viable option than carrying on.

It also creates options for beginning farmers and ranchers. Rather than compete with developers with much deeper pockets for land, people just getting started in agriculture can talk with a retiring farmer about creating an SCFBLT easement for their land, providing the retiring farmer compensation for the development value from the trust, and the new farmer can pay the agricultural value.

New Relationships

South Carolina Farm Bureau’s 80 years of working on behalf of the state’s agriculture industry gave previously reluctant farmers the confidence to pursue a conservation easement agreement. The trust has also given the organization added credibility with the state’s other conservation groups, serving as a foundation for new relationships with other nonprofits, as well as companies looking to increase their environmental, social and governance efforts.

Benefits go Beyond the Farm

Supporting a strong agriculture sector in the state, as the trust does, benefits far more than farmers and ranchers. It keeps more than 250,000 people employed in agriculture-related jobs and contributes more than $52 billion to South Carolina’s economy. The green spaces the trust preserves are valued by people across the state, as are the many local farm- and ranch-grown products they eat and use in various ways.

New Horizon Award

The South Carolina Farm Bureau Land Trust garnered South Carolina Farm Bureau a 2025 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.

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Looking to connect consumers with the farmers growing and raising their families’ food, Wisconsin Farm Bureau in 2023 launched Gather Wisconsin, which includes a website, GatherWisconsin.com, with blog posts and recipes, as well as an annual print magazine and several member activities across the state.

In creating Gather Wisconsin’s resources and educational material, Wisconsin Farm Bureau collaborated with many of the state’s commodity groups and agricultural organizations, aligning as one cohesive, trusted voice to support the initiative’s three pillars: “Food,” “Family” and “Farming.”

Gather Wisconsin’s Food pillar highlights how food is selected, prepared, cooked and stored. In addition, this section of the website provides unbiased information about food labels and food choice and shares how families can support farmers, whether they are buying produce directly from a grower at a farmers market or picking up a pound of ground beef from the grocery store. The recipes in the Food pillar showcase Wisconsin commodities and products.

The Family pillar focuses on how food is experienced in the home and features an interactive “Sustainability at Home” map offering tips and tricks to help consumers reach their own sustainability goals in the home and share the responsibility with farmers to protect natural resources.

The Farming pillar allows consumers to get to know the farmers behind the food in various ways. Consumers can submit their questions for a volunteer farmer to answer. The “Leaders of the Land” monthly profile introduces consumers to Farm Bureau members who are champions in sustainability. The profiles are included in an interactive map.

Beyond the website, Gather Wisconsin also produces a 24-page magazine delivered to more than 40,000 associate membership households, with additional copies shared by Farm Bureau volunteers at events across the state.

Gather Wisconsin’s continued expansion included sponsorship of the cups at the Wisconsin State Fair Foundation’s Milk House. The cup design featured Gather Wisconsin’s social media and website information, including a QR code linking directly to the website – and an opportunity to vote on your favorite Milk House milk flavor and sign up for the Gather Wisconsin e-newsletter.

The sponsorship also included billboard signage at the state fair and a one-day event booth staffed by Farm Bureau members who offered a variety of activities and giveaways.

County Farm Bureaus are increasingly involved in sharing Gather Wisconsin’s offerings. Last year, every district in the state was equipped with a Gather Wisconsin resource kit to assist them in utilizing the resources in their programming. Additionally, webinars, workshops and training opportunities are presented to members to keep their engagement high and effective.

New Horizon Award

Gather Wisconsin garnered Wisconsin Farm Bureau a 2025 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.

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Looking to boost not only membership but also county Farm Bureau participation in the organization’s annual month-long membership drive, Montana Farm Bureau provided counties with swag to make outreach more fun and engaging.

Montana’s May Membership Month promotional materials, which county Farm Bureaus could select from the Membership Month Menu, included “Join the Herd,” “Tag, You’re It” and “We’d G’Love You to Join” postcards members were encouraged to share with friends, family and neighbors along with matching Montana Farm Bureau-branded squishy stress-relief cows, key chain ear tags and cotton roping gloves. The postcards featured the Montana Farm Bureau vision statement and a QR code for the organization’s membership page.

Members gave away the items to potential recruits at picnics, Young Farmer and Rancher dances and town hall meetings. Some members even went door-to-door.

Montana Farm Bureau’s effort upped county Farm Bureaus’ involvement in recruiting new members during Membership Month – and brought in 17 new members.

New Horizon Award

The Membership Month materials garnered Montana Farm Bureau a 2025 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.

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