Part of the 50 state Farm Bureaus, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation joined other voting delegates last week in New Orleans during the 100th American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention to approve resolutions that will guide the grassroots organization on national policy throughout 2019. 

During the convention, IFBF delegates advanced state-developed policy that was adopted into the AFBF national policy book, including accuracy in meat labeling, specifically strong language to prohibit lab-grown and plant-based proteins from using labels associated with traditional meat-associated terms, such as beef, pork or chicken. 

IFBF delegates also successfully moved policy against the practice of issuing small refinery waivers that undermine the biofuel requirements in the Renewable Fuel Standard, which is critical to Iowa grain farmers and rural economies.   

Government shutdown prompts policy
National delegates also approved an Iowa amendment that USDA Farm Service Agency offices be kept open during government shutdowns. Rebecca Dostal, a Tama County farmer, and one of nine Iowa delegates at the AFBF policy conference, introduced the FSA language because the partial government shutdown has put many farmers in a tough spot.

“There are a lot of farmers, and especially young farmers, who have loans through FSA,” Dostal says. “But right now, with the shutdown, there is nobody in the FSA office to co-sign their checks, so they can’t get their loans to pay bills and order inputs for planting season.”

The approved national policy would classify FSA as an “essential” government agency, which would keep the offices open during a government shutdown.

“Our members should feel very proud because there were several ideas and concepts that came out of Iowa and were incorporated into AFBF policy this year,” says Craig Hill, IFBF president. “Our members in all 100 county Farm Bureaus in Iowa play a crucial role in our strong year-round grassroots policy development process in Iowa, which develops sound policies that resonate with other Farm Bureaus all over the country.”

Iowans receives recognition
In addition to advocating for policy that will guide the nation’s largest general farm organization with more than 6 million members, several Iowa Farm Bureau members received recognition and took home awards during the AFBF Annual Convention. 

IFBF received Awards of Excellence, an honor recognizing state Farm Bureaus that demonstrate outstanding achievements in advocacy, engagement and outreach, leadership and business development, and membership value.

IFBF also received the AFBF Pinnacle Award for the fifth time in the last six years. The Pinnacle Award is the highest honor a state can be awarded for program and membership achievement.

Additionally, IFBF was presented the New Horizon Award, a recognition that honors states with the most innovative new programs. IFBF was honored for its role passing legislation reauthorizing the organization to provide more affordable health benefit plans for its members facing high health insurance costs for their family and are ineligible for government-subsidized health insurance.

Entrepreneur, discussion winners
FarmlandFinder, an Ames-based farmer resource startup company, mentored through Iowa Farm Bureau’s Renew Rural Iowa program, was also named the AFBF Entrepreneur of the Year, marking the fourth time in the contest’s five years an Iowa entrepreneur has been victorious in the competition. FarmlandFinder, a startup founded by Steven Brockshus, won the AFBF Rural Entrepreneur Challenge by beating three other semifinalists from across the nation.

The top four entrepreneurs competed in front of a live audience and judges on the main stage in the IDEAg Trade Show at the convention. Brockshus’ startup business, which aims to make the world’s farmland-availability information easily accessible, beat out hundreds of applicants to take home a $30,000 in prize money as AFBF’s Entrepreneur of the Year, including an additional $15,000 from event sponsors Farm Credit, John Deere, Country Financial, Farm Bureau Financial Services and Farm Bureau Bank.

Alicia Heun, a Greene County farmer, represented Iowa in the AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet and advanced to the Sweet 16 Round of competition. Heun competed with participants from 34 other state Farm Bureaus in the YF&R Discussion Meet, which is designed to simulate a committee meeting in which participants are evaluated on their exchange of ideas and information on a predetermined topic.

 “It was an extremely productive week for the Iowa Farm Bureau, as several of our farmer leaders and organization received recognition and prestigious awards,” Hill says. “Being presented the coveted AFBF Pinnacle Award and New Horizon Award is an honor and affirms the successful leadership of our staff, members and grassroots organization.”   

A highlight of the convention was an address from President Donald Trump to Farm Bureau members, marking the second consecutive year President Trump has addressed the annual gathering of Farm Bureau members.     

Trump addressed more than 7,000 farmers and ranchers in New Orleans during the closing session of AFBF’s 100th convention and renewed his promise to fight for U.S. farmers and rural America. Trump expressed a commitment to several key issues particularly important to Iowa farm families and rural communities, including expanded broadband access, rural infrastructure and renewable energy, including his administration’s efforts to pass legislation that provides for the sale of ethanol-based E15 fuel year-round.  

Farm Bureau members will gather next January in Austin, Texas, for the 2020 AFBF annual convention. For more information, visit iowafarmbureau.com/100.

Source: Iowa Farm Bureau, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.