The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) is an organization that is doing unbelievable work even if you aren’t seeing it right in front of you every day. It takes an immense amount of time and effort on behalf of the local and state staff and individual members to work with our local, state and national elected officials to advocate and protect the way of life most of us love.
Everyone gets caught up in the cost of membership. Literally everyone. In Morgan County membership costs $75 for a year. Of that, $60 goes to OFBF and $15 stays in Morgan County – we’ll cover the reach that each organization has with those funds. If you break that down, $75 is $6.25 per month. That’s not even one trip through the drive thru at McDonalds or maybe one fancy coffee from Starbucks (if we had one within 30 miles).
Now where does that money go when you become a member of Ohio Farm Bureau? Like I mentioned OFBF receives $60 and Morgan County receives $15. In each case, that money is being used to advocate and protect the rights we have as farmers, first. But it is also used to protect land owner rights, support small business owners, support 4-H and FFA programming, and keeping our local communities thriving.
Specifically in 2021, Morgan County Farm Bureau spoke with over 700 students in our elementary schools about animals and helped them understand how baby animals are cared for. In November, we partnered with the Morgan County Health Department and hosted a tire
collection removing more than a semi-trailer of tires from the roads, ditches and river. We donate agricultural children’s books to the elementaries and Kate Love Simpson Library. We sponsor a movie night at the Opera House during Christmas time for families to enjoy. For over 50 years, Farm Bureau has partnered with Morgan FFA to pack fruit bags and distribute them throughout the county to elderly and shut-ins – this year delivering more than 150 fruit bags to those individuals. These are just the highlights and just from 2021. Morgan County Farm Bureau is here to support the county and will continue to be here to support your needs.
I won’t fail to mention some of the tremendous impact OFBF does with our state and national legislators. Again, specific to 2021, OFBF protected the ag sales tax exemption and secured farmer access to the PPP loan program for those who needed it due to the pandemic. OFBF pushed the DeWine administration to provide certainty to county fairs so they could operate and celebrate Ohio agriculture while also supporting our youth in 4-H and FFA. They lobbied for continued support of OSU Extension, Soil & Water, and high school ag education career tech. They advocated for the largest broadband investment in Ohio’s history, $250 million. And they promoted awareness of food supply chain issues during the pandemic.
Morgan County Farm Bureau and OFBF did all of this on $6.25 a month from its members. I didn’t even get into all the discounts you can receive as a member because that’s not the true reason people are members of Morgan County Farm Bureau. I’m a member of Farm Bureau to support my local community and share with our legislators the importance rural Ohio and agriculture has on the lives of everyone. If you’d like to do the same become a member and get involved. You don’t have to be a farmer to take advantage of all that the OFBF and Morgan County Farm Bureau are doing. If you care about the cost of your grocery bill, I guarantee you, Farm Bureau will be working on that in 2022. You can’t complain about something if you’re not doing anything to help solve the problem.
Questions? Comment below, email or message me. To become a member, contact your local farm bureau office (find them here) or visit https://ofbf.org/membership/.
**Information and stats from Ohio Farm Bureau Value of Membership 2021 and Morgan County Farm Bureau membership brochure.