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With the general election over and membership campaigns getting ready to kick off, OFBF held its annual series of Presidents’ Roundtable meetings last month to keep county leadership abreast of current issues.

Five meetings were held throughout the state with a strong attendance, taking into consideration the late harvest, said Kurt Ely, OFBF’s senior vice president of communications. In attendance were county presidents and membership chairmen and OFBF staff members Ely, Jack Fisher, OFBF’s executive vice president; Jeff Watkins, vice president of field services; and Keith Stimpert, senior vice president of public policy as well as OFBF President Bob Peterson; First Vice President Jeff Zellers, Treasurer Brent Porteus and regional board trustees. Because the groups were not too large, it was easier to have a more personal discussion, Ely said.

At this year’s gatherings, county presidents were urged to make contact with newly elected officials as soon as possible in order establish a solid working relationship, Ely said.

"We don’t want members to wait to contact their officials," he said. "Our agricultural agenda needs to be on their minds from the outset."

This year, county membership chairmen were invited to the meetings to discuss changes to the campaign structure designed to maximize volunteer effectiveness and build enthusiasm for a short, effective campaign. "We’re very interested in what county leaders have to say about membership and how we can support their efforts," Ely said.

Also discussed at the meeting were opportunities to bring the Our Ohio brand to the local level. Ely added, "Through the use of the brand, members have become both more interested in and creative with their efforts to reach the public with agriculture’s message.

"These meetings are an excellent way for staff and volunteer leaders to continue to enhance the effectiveness of the organization," Ely said. "Time is critical for so many members; we need to make sure that we maximize the time that we have together."