About Farm Bureau

American Farm Bureau – Nearly 6 Million Members
Florida Farm Bureau – More than 132,000 Members
Polk County Farm Bureau – More than 3,000 Members

There is strength in numbers, and existing as a member federation of members, counties and states, helps us fulfill the Farm Bureau purpose – to be the voice of agriculture thereby making the business of farming more profitable, and the community a great place to live.

Founded in 1919, Farm Bureau grew out of the Extension education movement occurring at land grant colleges across the nation and initially served as the organizational network needed to further the Extension education efforts of the county agent. However, as more counties and then states joined the movement, members quickly realized the potential for political influence that would enhance farmers’ productivity on a much broader level.

American Farm Bureau initiatives over the years have included new waterway projects and transportation lines; marketing cooperatives; addressing overproduction through market based policies; trade policies including the North American Free Trade Act; Food Safety, Environmental Issues, Private Property Rights and Government Fiscal Responsibility.

Founded in 1941, Florida Farm Bureau serves as the farmer and ranchers’ voice on a broad spectrum of agriculture concerns including Water Resource Protection; Taxation, Pest & Disease Research; Growth Management and Land Use Issues. There is a County Farm Bureau in each of Florida’s 67 counties.

POLK COUNTY FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

In 2022, Polk County Farm Bureau celebrated our 80th anniversary as a county organization.

We are governed by a 23-member volunteer board representing the major local commodities. The farm bureau federation and farm bureau insurance system represents a unique business model and each county operates a little differently. In Polk, the federation unit is staffed by an executive director and administrative assistant, with the executive director overseeing operational functions and all program implementation efforts.

Externally our program areas include economic, legal, research, and regulatory issues. Internally we operate under five program areas: Agricultural Education & Promotion, Legislative Outreach & Policy Development, Public Relations, Leadership Development and Organizational Management. We enjoy a tradition of being recognized at the state level each year with Awards of Excellence in each of these program areas.

We strategically maintain our abilities through leadership development. We place a high priority on cultivating the future leaders of our industry and we support a very active Young Farmer and Rancher’s Committee.

We consider ourselves stewards of the land and our members continuously invest in the culture and quality of life that we enjoy here in Polk County.