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Over the past few years, Ohio Farm Bureau has taken steps to communicate with farmers and nonfarmers in unique ways. Farmer members receive Buckeye Farm News and have the ofbf.org Web site that provide legislative and organization news; the organization has reached out to consumers through the Our Ohio brand – magazine, television show and Web site. The radio program Town Hall Ohio reaches both groups.

Now there is a third way Farm Bureau is communicating with – and hopefully selling memberships to – potential members. "Grow with FB" is a new campaign, offering an 800 number, 1-888-GrowWithFB, and a Web site, GrowWithFB.org to provide Farm Bureau membership information on demand, 24/7.

"With our other Web sites, people can find membership information, but that is not the primary focus of either site," said OFBF Senior Director of Consumer Communications Pat Petzel. "With the new site, people can quickly see Farm Bureau member benefits and how to join. If they want additional information about Ohio Farm Bureau, Nationwide or Our Ohio, there are links to those Web sites, right from the GrowWithFB home page," she said.

Farm Bureau also will be using print advertising as another facet of the membership campaign. One ad will target farmers who are not members; the ad tagline is "Join an organization that works as hard as you." Another ad is targeted to horse owners and highlights member benefits that horse owners might find particularly useful.

Also, two television commercials have been produced and will begin airing in February in selected markets. "The theme of the commercials is showing how Farm Bureau’s work on issues like protecting the environment, preserving farmland and open space, promoting local farm products and working for renewable fuels are issues the public is concerned about too and that they should therefore join Farm Bureau to help further those causes," Petzel said.

"Just as membership volunteers visit their neighbors and sell Farm Bureau benefits to them based on their individual needs, we are doing the same thing only using the media to connect with consumers based on their interests," she said.

The new 800 number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be staffed by a call center, which is there to help sign Farm Bureau members. Beyond that, callers will be referred to state or county staff members to help with more detailed questions or issues.

Caption: These new print advertisements are part of a targeted effort to engage nonmembers to join Farm Bureau.