“I’m a Farm Bureau member because I am passionate about agriculture, and Farm Bureau
allows me to be a leader in my local agriculture community.” –Laine Lewin, McLeod County
What’s in it for you?
w Youth and Collegiate Outreach
Issue: As a general farm organization, Farm Bureau monitors all issues. Farm
Bureau recognizes the opportunity to assist in developing stronger leaders
and strengthen collaborative efforts.
Action: To reach college aged students, the public policy team hosted a
brown bag lunch event at the University of Minnesota, where students were
updated on the farm bill and other agriculture policy topics. Students asked
questions and learned about careers in public policy. Minnesota Farm Bureau
also participated in the annual Ag Awareness Day on the Minneapolis campus.
South Central College held the first ever collegiate Farm Bureau meeting,
where over 60 college students learned about being involved in Farm Bureau
and the Young Farmers & Ranchers program.
Minnesota Farm Bureau hosts a yearly training with the state FFA officers
which also includes a meeting with the agricultural commodity’s
communication directors; assists in training the state 4-H ambassadors and
assist with leadership training for these youth leadership organizations
throughout the year. In addition, all FFA Chapters in the state are members of
Farm Bureau so that we can serve as a resource to these advisors and chapter
leaders.
Result: Minnesota Farm Bureau continues to strengthen its working
relationship with these organizations and is viewed as a valuable partner in
creating strong leaders. These energetic, future leaders are enlightening
individuals, and they see the opportunities to be the next generation of
agriculture.
LEADERSHIP
Member strengths identified
and utilized; Enhanced
collaboration with agriculture
organizations; Effective
grassroots: defined, groomed,
empowered and engaged
w Leadership Conference
Issue: Minnesota Farm Bureau
members are constantly seeking
opportunities to learn about trends in
agriculture, gain tools to enhance
leadership and professional
development and network with other
members. The Leadership Conference
is designed to provide leadership
training for all Farm Bureau members.
Action: This 2013 Leadership
Conference was held in Bloomington.
Participants participated in a capitol
w Food Safety
Farm Bureau is committed to providing
safe, affordable food for families. We work
with farmers and government officials to
ensure that food safety is a top priority.
w Protecting our Environment
Farm families drink the water, breathe
the air and live on the land. Minnesota’s
farmers demonstrate a strong commitment
to protecting and improving our
environment by participating in voluntary
conservation programs and adopting
recommended managements practices for
enhancing soil, air and water quality.
w Energy
Farm Bureau supports a comprehensive
energy approach to reducing our
dependence on foreign oil and alleviating
the economic hardship for all Americans
caused by rising energy costs. This includes
renewable energy sources such as ethanol,
biodiesel, wind and biomass, nuclear and
domestic fossil fuel production.
experience or consumer engagement
track. The capitol experience was a
hands-on legislative experience at the
Minnesota State Capitol. Consumer
engagement included being smarter
than an activist, growing victory in the
Middle East, USDA school lunch
program standards, partnering with
Second Harvest Heartland and
engaging consumers in effective
conversations.
Attendees also were given a kit to go
back to their local county to use in the
w State Fair
8
Issue: The Minnesota State Fair is the
largest gathering of people in Minnesota
and an opportunity to reach a wide variety
of people with a positive message of
agriculture.
Action: In order to empower volunteers
to engage in effective conversations with
attendees of the Minnesota State Fair, an
interactive scavenger hunt of the building
was created to learn about each of the four
areas of Minnesota Farmers CARE. State
fair attendees stopped at each area,
Animals • Environment • Food • Families, to
search for the answers to the scavenger
hunt. The final question included asking a
farmer volunteer a question about their
farm, which allowed for one-on-one
interactions between fairgoers and Farm
Bureau members. Upon completion, they
received a thermal lunch bag.
“Farm Bureau is
able to have
candid
conversations
with our elected
officials that turn
into results and a
better life for
Minnesotans.”
classroom to teach elementary age
children about agriculture and pizza,
along with receiving two books about
beef.
Result: Over 200 members took part
in the conference and were trained in
consumer engagement, classroom
presentations and policy issues.
Through networking and training,
stronger leadership skills were
developed. Leadership development
opportunities are available throughout
the year for all Farm Bureau members.
Result: Over 70,000 consumers were
reached with the Minnesota Farmers CARE
message at the Minnesota State Fair.
Attendees met real farmers and were more
confident with what farmers are doing to
grow their food and protect the
environment. Farm Bureau members
learned how to share their stories and
engage in meaningful conversations to
correct misconceptions about agriculture.
Giveaway items and lasting images give a
positive reminder of the positive work
farmers do in Minnesota.
w Food Awareness Month
Issue: Farmers are committed to
providing safe and healthy food choices for
all Americans. Farm Bureau members want
to talk with consumers about the shared
goal of nutritious and affordable meals for
families, but do not always know where to
w Animal Care
Ethical animal care is a top priority for
Minnesota farmers. It’s the right thing to
do, and it keeps our animals safe, healthy
and disease-free. Farm Bureau believes that
animal care decisions should continue to be
made by farmers in consultation with their
veterinarian.
w 7G&