Policy starts with you. Florida Farm Bureau members — including every member of Polk County Farm Bureau — create the organization's official policy positions. This grassroots process ensures that the issues most important to Polk County farmers and ranchers are the ones Farm Bureau fights for in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.
The process of crafting policies to benefit members is a respected Farm Bureau tradition. Policies approved each year become the fundamental guide for all of Florida Farm Bureau's advocacy activities — from legislative testimony to federal agency comments to legal action.
Policy Starts With You
Every Polk County Farm Bureau member has the right to bring forward a resolution. Your idea could become official Farm Bureau policy — and the basis for advocacy at the highest levels of government.
How Policy Is Made: The Process
Farm Bureau policy follows a structured, member-driven path from a single idea to official organizational position. Here is how your idea becomes a resolution.
Step 1: Member Idea
Any Polk County Farm Bureau member can bring forward an idea or concern affecting their farming operation or rural community.
Step 2: County Discussion
Ideas are discussed at the county level — in committee meetings and member forums — where they are refined into formal resolutions.
Step 3: Resolution Drafted
A resolution is written that clearly states the issue and the position the county Farm Bureau recommends. It is reviewed and approved locally before advancing.
Step 4: Advisory Committees
FFBF Advisory Committees — composed of commodity and issue-area experts — review resolutions, identify emerging challenges, and advise leadership to keep policy focused and informed.
Step 5: State Annual Meeting
Each October, delegates representing all 60 county Farm Bureaus gather at the Florida Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting to debate and vote on every resolution submitted that year.
Step 6: Official Policy
Resolutions approved at the Annual Meeting become official Florida Farm Bureau policy — the fundamental guide for all FFBF advocacy activities in Tallahassee and Washington.
FFBF Advisory Committees
Florida Farm Bureau's Advisory Committees are central to the policy development process. Committee members are commodity and issue-area experts who help identify emerging challenges, review policy ideas, and advise leadership — keeping the organization responsive and focused on what matters most to Florida's farm families.
Committee membership is open to FFBF members with expertise in the relevant commodity or issue area. Contact your county Farm Bureau to express interest.
The State Annual Meeting
When & Where
The Florida Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting is held each October. Delegates from all 60 county Farm Bureaus — including Polk County — gather to debate and vote on every resolution submitted that year.
Who Participates
Elected delegates representing each county Farm Bureau cast votes on resolutions. Polk County Farm Bureau members may serve as delegates — contact us to learn how to get involved in the delegation process.
Get Involved in Policy
Submit an Idea
Have a policy idea that would benefit Polk County farmers? Bring it to a county meeting or contact our office — every resolution starts with a member.
Contact UsRead the Handbook
The FFBF Policy Development Process Handbook walks you through every step — from drafting a resolution to the Annual Meeting vote.
View HandbookTake Action
Once policy is set, Farm Bureau advocates for it. Use the Legislative Action Center to contact your legislators and amplify the policies you helped create.
Action CenterQuick Links
Your Idea Could Become Policy
Polk County Farm Bureau members have a direct path to shaping the policies that govern Florida agriculture. Reach out to get involved in the policy development process.