Ohioans win free groceries for a year
A promotion that invited Ohio consumers to learn more about the farmers who produce their food has provided three Ohioans with free groceries for a year.
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A promotion that invited Ohio consumers to learn more about the farmers who produce their food has provided three Ohioans with free groceries for a year.
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Wyandot County Farm Bureau was the People’s Choice winner in this year’s “Growing a Masterpiece” art exhibit. Ohio Farm Bureau sponsors the contest, which asks local Farm Bureaus to develop artistic representations of agriculture in their county.
Training sessions will be held throughout Ohio in January to help communities prepare for an animal disease outbreak.
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.
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.
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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.
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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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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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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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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.
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.
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.
Ohio Farm Bureau's numerous successes in 2009 have made the Buckeye State a better place.
Ohio Farm Bureau leaders have taken in active role in helping to shape the state's future.
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To Create a Stronger Economy and a Positive Future
OFBF participated in several discussions of key national agricultural issues.
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From Ohio Farm Bureau's Envisioned Future — The New Era, developed in 2009
In 2009, Ohio Farm Bureau was a strong advocate for animal agriculture in the Buckeye State.
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A strong effective organization that is member driven, financially strong and focused on farmers
Ohio Farm Bureau again offered conferences for Farm Bureau youth during the summer months. The conferences provide opportunities for youths to bond and build leadership, teamwork and communications skills.
2009 was the first full year under the new structure of a year-round campaign, resulting in an all-time high membership of 235,064. The new structure was intended to allow volunteers to work at selling memberships as they have time.
OFBF’s Leadership Buffet provides opportunities for members to participate in seminars that work at improving their leadership skills.
This past year 11 service groups throughout Ohio received $30,000 from the Foundation in grants. The Foundation also awarded a total of 10 academic scholarships worth $1,000 each in three scholarship programs.
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As a grassroots organization, OFBF sponsors several programs and events designed to promote leadership within the agricultural community.
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2009 was yet another award-winning year for the Ohio Farm Bureau and its county Farm Bureaus.
Ohio Farm Bureau members have a number of benefits available to them ranging from money savings to property protection. Here are a few of the benefits that members took advantage of (as of November) in 2009.
Change proved to be the password at Nationwide this year, even as the insurance and financial services company continues its 83-year sponsor relationship with Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
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Communication and Consumer Education to Forge a Partnership between Farmers and Consumers
OFBF created a new education program this year. The first Grow & Know event was held in July at Bob Evans Farms in Gallia County and offered nonmembers and members the opportunity to learn about various aspects of farming, gardening and cooking.
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OFBF coordinated the “Land and Living: Agriculture Your Link to Life” exhibit at the Ohio State Fair where an estimated 350,000 fairgoers participated in an interactive agricultural display in a 32,000-square-foot building used exclusively for the display. More than 9,000 children planted a flower and took it home as part of the Green2Go exhibit, 5,256 children participated in a pedal tractor course called the OFBF Country Cruise, and 28 memberships were sold during the fair.
Ohio Farm Bureau continues to promote and enhance its statewide communications products.
Ohio Farm Bureau found a new way to forge a partnership between farmers and consumers in 2009 by incorporating social media into its Web presence.
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An innovative project at the Stark County Jail resulted in an educational opportunity for inmates and a long-term benefit for the clients of Meals on Wheels in Stark and Wayne counties.
Seneca County Farm Bureau collected new and gently used coats in all sizes as part of its “Coats from the Heartland” initiative. Collected coats were distributed to the needy throughout northwest Ohio.
Delaware County Farm Bureau took notice when an animal activist group displayed anti-animal agriculture information in the Delaware Library. In an effort to help educate the public about the positives of animal agriculture, the board formed a committee to put together its own display for the library.
County Farm Bureaus across the state regularly contribute to their local communities.
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A brief history of one of the largest grassroots campaigns in Ohio agriculture.
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Smart Business Columbus outlines how Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Director John C. Fisher maintains the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's relevancy.
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American Farm Bureau President calls on American agriculture to unite during annual address.
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Agricultural unity key to taking ownership of animal welfare debate.
Delegates at the 91st American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting voted to oppose cap-and-trade climate legislation and to support balancing the federal budget over the next eight years.
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Policy session, among other items, marks end of American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Seattle.
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Series of programs educate sheep and goat producers throughout Ohio.
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Sheep Industry celebrates acheivements, elects leaders for 2010.
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Ohio Treasury's annual program provides an interest rate reduction on operating loans and lines of credit to Ohio's farming community.
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County Farm Bureau members, community leaders and members of the Ohio Livestock Coalition have opportunity to recognize neighbors' outstanding rural communications efforts.
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Farm Bureau Exec calls Issue 2 victory "one step" in ongoing battle during Agri Pulse radio broadcast.
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Issues call to action for Farm Bureau members, and warns critics that farmers and ranchers will no longer tolerate opponents' efforts to change the landscape of American Agriculture.
The American Farm Bureau Federation supports legislative efforts by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to stop an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.