Tag Archives: AFBF

Members Complete Grassroots Policy Process

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November 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

Delegates from nearly 60 county Farm Bureaus convened at the 83rd Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) Annual Meeting Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2024, to finalize the public policy of the Federation.  Policy amendments and new resolutions rising from the county level through the State Advisory Committees were discussed and ultimately ratified unanimously by the voting delegates.

The strategic priorities of Farm Bureau are Advocacy, Membership, Public Awareness and Profitability of Agriculture, and this member-ratified policy serves as the foundation for all of Farm Bureau’s advocacy efforts.  Policies with national implications are forwarded to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) as resolutions for AFBF policy, and over the past year, policies originating in Florida have spurred legislative engagement in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., letters from FFBF and AFBF to regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the U.S. Dept. of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and support for candidates, grants, initiatives and appointments that will enhance agriculture’s viability.

As we reflect on the conclusion of our state policy development process, FFBF staff will implement the policy changes in the coming year.  Each of these implementation opportunities allows staff to present a unified message, collectively as The Voice of Agriculture.

For more information on Farm Bureau’s policy process, please contact the Agricultural Policy Department at 352.374.1543.

Rural Recharge Episode 17 Out Now

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Kevin Lussier, AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Chair, joins President Jeb S. Smith on the newest episode of Rural Recharge.  

Lussier owns and operates Hawthorne Creek Creamery in Alachua County. In 2021, Lussier and his wife, Shelby, were the Florida Farm Bureau Achievement in Agriculture state winners. Kevin has served on the Florida Farm Bureau state YF&R Leadership Group, the Florida Farm Bureau state board and now serves on the national level as the AFBF YF&R Committee Chair.  

In this episode, Lussier shares his journey to becoming a dairy farmer, his involvement with the Florida Farm Bureau YF&R leadership group, his national involvement with American Farm Bureau and current issues he sees young farmers facing.  

AFBF Convention Registration Open Now

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Join your fellow Ag professionals and enthusiasts and attend the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 19-24, 2024. Farm Bureau members and non-members alike are welcome to be a part of our nation’s largest general Ag organization. At this celebration you will hear motivational keynote speakers, be able to cheer on our state award competitors, and interact with exhibitors while learning about their products on the trade show floor. Networking with fellow Ag leaders and attending educational sessions is also an important part of the AFBF Convention. Salt Lake City Farm Tours are on Saturday, January 20 and Tuesday, January 23 and are listed on the registration form.

Read more about the convention or register now here.

Communicating Ag

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Women’s Committee Handbook

As a Farm Bureau leader, you are uniquely qualified to speak on behalf of Florida’s farmers and ranchers. Your peers have asked you to perform this and other duties because of their confidence in you.

In your role as a spokesperson you can make a difference by communicating information to the non-farm public. We hope the suggestions in this document will help you accomplish this important goal. Agriculturists account for 1% of our national population. If you do not speak for yourself and your livelihood, someone outside of production agriculture with a very different agenda may take your place in public discourse.

Under such circumstances the result in either policy formulation or implementation can be disastrous. Given the recurrent problems that have emerged with food safety, for example, your livelihood can be put at an immediate risk if consumers do not receive accurate, reliable information about the responsible, state-of-the-art methods of production adopted by most farmers and ranchers.

Remember that no one is a perfect spokesperson. Everyone makes errors. But you can minimize them as you gain more experience.

Why You Are an Excellent Spokesperson for Agriculture

Nobody knows your farm or ranch better than you do. You are the expert on the natural resources, the production processes and the management skill required to generate a harvest that can sustain you and your family while providing food and fiber for our nation and the world.

According to surveys commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the general public has a positive opinion of farmers and farm families. This attitude gives you a tremendous advantage in seeking to direct attention to the agriculturist’s perspective on public policy questions. The public is predisposed to give you a fair hearing before you ever start to write or say anything.

The more you serve as a spokesperson, the more frequently news media representatives will contact you when they are working on stories that involve your livelihood. Once a reporter or an editor determines that you offer reliable information and you are willing to make yourself available, you can become a regular news source.

The FFBF Public Relation’s Department provides customized PR workshops to help women be more confident in speaking to the media and being the voice of Florida agriculture. To request a workshop, contact Rachael Smith.

Florida Company is Top Four Finalist in National Ag Challenge

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Elite OviGen, Inc., a sheep breeding software solutions company, is one of four finalists in the 2019 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge.  

The Beverly Hills based entrepreneur will receive $15,000 to help them take their business to the next level.

Elite OviGen is one final four teams advancing to compete in a live pitch at the AFBF’s 100th Annual Convention in New Orleans on Jan. 13 at 11:00 a.m. For members not attending convention they can tune into the live stream of the competition available at fb.org.

“Being a top finalist is invaluable. It gives a huge possibility to reach a broader audience and opens new doors that can help us grow and develop our company,” said Anette Skoog of Elite OviGen.

Elite OviGen provides real-time software solutions to help small and large farms manage and market their sheep breeding business.

The final four teams will compete for the Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneur of the Year award and $15,000 and an additional $10,000 as the People’s Choice award.

The competition is in its fifth year and provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. It is the first national business competition to focus exclusively on rural entrepreneurs launching food and agriculture businesses.