AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and representing the interests of U.S. farmers. More than five million members in 50 states and Puerto Rico
belong to the AFBF, making it the largest U.S.
farm organization. The AFBF is a federation of
2,800 county farm organizations, which elect
representatives to state farm bureaus. The
organization maintains its general headquarters
in Park Ridge, Illinois, and has an office in Washington, D.C. From these offices the AFBFstaff offers many services and programs for stateand county farm bureaus and members.

The first county farm bureau was formed inBroome County, New York, in 1911. The wordbureau in farm bureau is used because the firstorganization was formed as a “bureau” of thelocal CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.Missouri was thefirst state to form a statewide organization offarm bureaus in 1915.

The AFBF was founded in1919 when a small group of farmers from 30state bureaus gathered in Chicago, Illinois. TheAFBF soon became a voice for agriculture at thenational level, LOBBYING Congress for passageof legislation favorable to farmers.The AFBF relies on its 2,800 county bureausfor direction and support. Thousands of volunteerleaders serve on county farm bureau boardsand committees. Members organize social outings,educational workshops, political actionand community forums, and other programsand services for farm families.

State bureaus adopt policies and name delegatesto represent them at the AFBF annualmeeting. Policies adopted by voting delegatesgovern the federation. These policies deal withmany issues, including the use of naturalresources, taxation, property rights, services tothe farm community, trade, food safety and quality,and other issues that affect rural America.

The AFBF has historically been a conservativeorganization, favoring flexible price supportsfor crops and a minimum of governmentregulation and oversight. Its government relationsdivision employs a number of registeredlobbyists who are specialists on farm policy,trade, budget and taxes, farm credit, labor, transportation,conservation, and the environment.These individuals maintain daily contact withCongress and regulatory agencies and appearbefore congressional committees.

The AFBF’s public policy division is responsiblefor research, education, and policy supportfor AFBF and the state farm bureaus. Staffmembers provide analysis and information oncurrent issues, including property rights,HEALTH CARE, clean water, endangered species,animal welfare, farm programs, and dairy policy.One of the hottest issues in the late 1990s andearly 2000s has concerned the current andfuture role of biotechnology in agriculture.Biotechnology and other technological developmentsincluding computers, lasers, and robotsare also issues being closely followed by AFBFand the county and state farm bureaus. Additionally,the AFBF has sought to play a majorrole in such areas as the continuing developmentof renewable fuels and international trade. Thedivision also coordinates several special farmbureau activities, including commodity advisorycommittees, annual crop surveys, and variousnational seminars and conferences on policyissues.

The federation’s communication divisionoperates a computerized marketing, news, andweather system, which delivers the latest news,market information, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREnews, and agricultural weather reportsto subscribers by satellite.

The American Farm Bureau Foundation forAgriculture, founded in 1967, funds research onagricultural issues. The foundation is funded bygifts from individuals, county and state farmbureaus, corporations, and foundations. Thefoundation has funded research on animal wastemanagement, pesticide use, new methods ofhelping endangered species, and animal welfareeducation. The foundation has also been activein numerous educational outreach programsincluding “Agriculture in the Classroom,”awards and contests, farm tours and field days,garden and planting projects, mobile classroomunits, and newsletters, books, and videos.

AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION