Menu

"The organization thrives on volunteer activity. If it was only staff, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish anywhere near what we get done with volunteers," said Jeff Watkins, OFBF vice president for field services.

This dependence upon volunteers means Ohio Farm Bureau provides ample training to equip members with the tools they need to succeed, Watkins said. Nearly 550 volunteer leaders came together during annual meeting to receive program-specific training.

"Outside of our summer Leadership Conference, this is the largest volunteer training meeting we ever experienced," he said. Chairmen received three and a half hours of training, which included time to share their experiences so far this program year. They also heard AFBF General Counsel Julie Anna Potts speak during lunch and concluded the day with a seminar from Dr. William Jenkins, president of the Louisiana State University System. More than half of the chairmen stayed to participate in or observe the annual meeting.

The next training sessions for chairmen will take place in February at regional cabinet meetings; county presidents, information coordinators, youth advisers and chairmen of policy development, advisory council/young farmers, agricultural ecology and promotion and education committees are invited. Chairmen will receive an invitation, including dates, locations and directions from county presidents.

Next year, chairmen will not attend the annual meeting for a day of training. Fall cabinet meetings will resume by region. If chairmen have a preference on participating in fall cabinet meetings or attending the OFBF annual meeting, Watkins asks them to share that with their organization directors.

Caption: As part of county information coordinators’ (CIC) training, they participated in an exercise to prepare for a media interview on a current, controversial agricultural issue. A CIC was selected as spokesperson and answered questions from "the media," portrayed by OFBF information department staff members.