Iowa Farm Bureau Federation

Ag in the classroom/youth education: the company sponsors a scholarship program to eligible county high school graduates. Our directors present the awards at school assemblies and talk about the value of being a member. The company provide financial support to local ffa chapters in the county. The company helps financially support farm safety day offered to second graders in the county and to precision agriculture and animal science days offered to high school students. The directors are large supporters of the local group that works with schools to provide ag education and awareness. The company paid for a county teacher to attend the national ag in the classroom conference in des moines. We also sponsored a group of 8th graders to attend a workshop about the importance of fertilizer in agriculture.

Public policy: the company values the members opinions on all issues affecting agriculture. Each fall we ask for member input on the topics the company should be working on. We then give an opportunity for members to view all issues brought up statewide and indicate which issues are a priority. In march of each year, we send out a survey asking members opinions on several issues that were the most important to the membership. Our board of directors uses that information to come up with policy for the company. We will present our policy at the company annual meeting held in august. A delegate from the company takes the suggested issues and speaks for the company at the state conference.

The company has various programs that are aimed at providing information to members on current agricultural issues through newsletters, meetings, etc. 1,135 members were benefitted in this manner during 2024.