1970s: Whirlwind of Change

The 1970s: The whirlwind of change

In 1973, more than 300 FFBF employees moved into a $3 million, five-story building near Interstate 75 in Gainesville, where the Federation and insurance companies remain headquartered today. Gov. Reuben Askew was among the dignitaries who spoke at the dedication later that year.

It had become apparent that the frenzied growth of programs which had characterized the early part of the decade would have to be controlled. The organization had experienced financial set-backs, and the board of directors realized it could not continue to subsidize programs that had not proved their worth. A new structure for Farm Bureau was established with the president of the organization becoming the chief executive officer. Under the new system, the executive vice president would become assistant to the president.

In July of 1973, Walter Kautz became the first full-time FFBF president.

The need for a program to help young farmers develop leadership skill became more apparent in the 1970s. A Young Farmer and Homemaker group was formed and Jinny Ragans of Madison County was elected as its first chairman. The group later became the Young Farmer and Rancher Committee.

Working with an urban Legislature

After the 1972 legislative reapportionment, the state legislature lost many predominantly rural districts and took on more of an urban complexion. Even so, FFBF met with remarkable levels of success. Defending the Green Belt Law became routine business. The law provided for agricultural assessments taking into account the "use value" of farming operations rather than the "best value." It kept money in farmers' pockets.

National issues

The early '70s brought the imposition of price controls on food, the energy crisis, and increased federal regulation. The awareness of the effects of Washington on the day-to-day activities of Florida farmers prompted FFBF to encourage farmers to visit Washington D.C. in person.

The first Washington tour in years occurred in 1973 and involved more than 40 farm leaders and staff members. By the end of the decade, attendance on such tours had increased nearly five-fold. Farm Bureau continues to sponsor Washington tours, giving members direct access to their lawmakers while they learn how the federal government works.

At the start of Farm Bureau's fourth decade in Florida, caution was not the watchword. It was a time of enormous flux. The new programs were taking hold and reshaping the face of the organization.

Commitment to commodities

There were any number of production problems confronting Florida farmers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They included brucellosis, black flies, Mediterranean fruit flies, corn blight, droughts and freezes. FFBF leaders were committed to seeing to it that affected farmers got the help they required.

In its early years Farm Bureau was unable to address all of the commodity concerns of its diverse membership. In the 1940s, this had prompted members of FFBFs Vegetable Committee to form what later became Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. It was the same case when members of FFBFs Citrus Committee broke away to form what became Florida Citrus Mutual. This trend continued as more commodity organizations appeared.

In the mid-70s, the desire grew to do more in the way of commodity programs within Farm Bureau. The commodity advisory committee system was rejuvenated. The committees embraced all of Florida's major commodity areas. In the minds of many members these were the most important Farm Bureau programs - they helped farmers increase their production and income.

In order to provide producers with information on industry trends and markets, FFBF conducted commodity tours in the United States and several foreign countries. In the 1980s, citrus growers toured Brazil, where citrus production was growing at an alarming rate, threatening to change the world's citrus balance. Florida growers also visited Holland, the world center of the bulb business.

Other services to members

Farm Bureau's programs - from insurance, labor and legislative to Young Farmers' and Women's - flourished during the 1970s. One of the most effective programs was in the area of communications. Along with publishing FloridAgriculture, Farm Bureau was producing regular radio programs and monthly television programs.

National recognition

In 1978 Walter Kautz was elected to the AFBF Board of Directors. The next year the AFBF Annual Convention was held in Miami, the first time since 1956 that the convention had come to Florida. That year Florida received a record five gold stars for programs.