Members will notice some changes on their dues invoice for 2023. These membership changes will take effect Dec. 1, 2022, but the grassroots process to implement them goes back a couple of years and involved hundreds of members. 

Delegates at the 2021 Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting voted to adopt a series of code changes to keep Farm Bureau positioned for strength. The code changes were the culmination of a two-year process that involved county leaders, the state board of trustees and nearly 400 annual meeting delegates. This summer, county Farm Bureau members voted at their annual meetings to adopt changes to their county Code of Regulations to align with the state’s code.

The most significant upcoming changes are a dues increase and a change to one member class.  

“Keeping Farm Bureau strong for the future so that we can continue to serve members requires us to continually analyze how we go about our work,” said Adam Sharp, Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president.  “Agriculture is changing, our relationship with partners is evolving, and the need to operate with efficiency is more important than ever. Ohio Farm Bureau is financially sound, but we knew we needed to take action for us to continue to be.”

What does it cost to be a Farm Bureau member?

The statewide average dues amount will be about $110 annually. Because dues rates vary by county, click here for your local dues rate. “Know that dues decisions are never taken lightly,” Sharp said. “Our leadership would not make the recommendation to raise dues unless it was necessary.” 

One member class

The other code change is converging three member classes into one. The active, young active and community member classes will be combined. The Our Ohio Supporter non‐member class will be eliminated. A discounted membership rate of $40 for those ages 18‐24 remains. 

The decision to move to one member class was primarily driven by the need to simplify membership for both marketing simplification and processing efficiency. “Be assured that voting and decision-making powers will still center on those who make their living from agriculture,” Sharp said. All elected leaders must be “agriculturalists” — defined as an individual who is directly impacted by the health of the agricultural industry, as determined by county Farm Bureaus. 

Strength for the future

Ohio Farm Bureau is committed to making sure members understand the value they receive for their membership and the process that is undertaken to review organizational priorities, services, governance and financial stability. As part of Farm Bureau’s commitment to member outreach, Sharp plans to visit with many county Farm Bureau boards around the state this year and next. He also will be hosting five county Farm Bureau president roundtable meetings in November across Ohio.  In addition, your state board member is ready and willing to engage.

Membership Dues FAQ

Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the dues increase, when it goes into effect and how it came about.

Questions or concerns about these upcoming changes can be emailed to [email protected].

 

Putting dues into perspective

When you look at the overall costs that go into securing our food supply, your Farm Bureau membership goes a long way over the course of the year.

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The value of membership

Here are just some of the ways Farm Bureau is working for you. How many of these achievements impact you, your family and farm?

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What if these headlines were true?

“Property taxes set to skyrocket on Ohio farmland” or “Farmers targeted after water crisis” Thanks to Ohio Farm Bureau, these stories are fake news.

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The value of membership 'checklist'

What exactly you are getting when you invest in Ohio Farm Bureau? Here is an itemized 'checklist,' to help you understand the true value of membership.

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