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OFBF is a federation of county Farm Bureaus representing all 88 counties. The organization reached a record membership of 235,064 in 2009. Nearly 60,000 of those members are farmers who each get one vote on the organization's polices. The retention rate for membership in the Ohio Farm Bureau this year was 89.86 percent.
In 2009, Ohio Farm Bureau finalized a plan to ensure its future viability. More than 2,800 participants provided input into the 250 page plan titled "Ohio Farm Bureau's Envisioned Future — The New Era." The process resulted in the following updated vision statetment for the organization: "Ohio Farm Bureau's Vision is to forge a partnership between farmers and consumers that meets consumer needs, addresses public expectations and ensures agricultural prosperity in a global marketplace." The plan also identifies Farm Bureau's core values as Integrity and Honesty, Grassroots Involvement, Promoting Agriculture, Member Advocacy and Teamwork.
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As Ohio Farm Bureau reflects on another year of accomplishments, it is appropriate to revisit this fundamental question: "Who is Ohio Farm Bureau?"
Hint: It's not a team of hired professionals in an office building in Columbus.
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Students with a traditional farm background, as well as those coming from suburban and urban communities and pursuing degrees connected to agriculture, are invited to apply for three scholarships supported by the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
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Brandon and Julia Weber of Jackson, Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill of DeGraff and Cassandra Palsgrove of Pickerington were winners in Ohio Farm Bureau’s young farmer contests and will represent Ohio during the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in Seattle Jan. 10 and 11.
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Four outstanding leaders in Ohio agriculture were honored with Distinguished Service Awards from OFBF. The honorees were former state Rep. Jim Buchy, volunteer Sarah James, communicator Esther Welch and educator Micki Zartman.
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The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Board of Directors has appointed three new members to serve on the AFBF General Counsel Advisory Committee through 2011. AFBF has a distinguished history of selective participation in litigation matters that implement and advance Farm Bureau’s policies.
Citing the contributions of Ohio’s farmers to the economy and the state’s rich agricultural heritage, OFBF testified in favor of a bill that would designate the week of Thanksgiving as Ohio Agriculture Week.
Members & guests at OFBF's 91st annual meeting had their choice of unique gifts highlighting Ohio’s rural communities & OFBF’s corporate friends in the OFB Foundation Rural-Urban Community Auction.
Training sessions will be held throughout Ohio in January to help communities prepare for an animal disease outbreak.