Farm Bureau Leaders Attend National Meeting
Cook County Farm Bureau® Directors joined Farm Bureau members from throughout the country at this year’s American Farm Bureau Federation® Annual Meeting. Members celebrated the heritage of Farm Bureau and grassroots engagement during the Celebration of Grassroots Reception prior to previewing the trade show and County Activity of Excellence booths.
Members also learned more about how Farm Bureau members can break through the chaos of a post-pandemic world and divisive political environment in D.C. to ensure that farmers’ voices are heard in Washington.
In a celebration of Farm Bureau members hard work, CCFB Directors joined AFBF President Zippy Duvall for the state awards and recognitions. Members also joined the final four Ag Innovation contestants for their live pitch. For the past nine years, the Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge has showcased U.S. food and agriculture startups. Entrepreneurs competed for $165,000 in startup funds. Unfortunately, Cook County Farm Bureau’s local contestant TrackerSled did not make it to the final four.
Members also had the opportunity to hear an update from Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture before listening to a remote message from U.S. President Joe Biden. Bert Jacobs, Co-Founder of Life is Good® provided closing remarks focusing on finding the good in life regardless of the circumstances.
In addition to attending breakout sessions, activities on the Farm Bureau stage, and general sessions Farm Bureau Directors staffed Cook County Farm Bureau’s County Activities of Excellence booth. The booth focused on Farm Bureau’s ‘Party for the Pollinators’ program, which was designed this project to communicate farmers’ efforts to preserve and increase pollinator habitat as well as to illustrate the connection between pollinators and our food system to urban consumers.
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American Farm Bureau Federation® President Zippy Duvall, pictured left meets with Farm Bureau Director Ruth Zeldenrust during the AFBF Annual Meeting. Zeldenrust shared information about Cook County Farm Bureau’s nationally recognized County Activity of Excellence, ‘Party for the Pollinators,’ which impacted over 5,500 individuals including 17 community partners. See page 4 for additional photos and information.
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Cook County Farm Bureau Secretary/Treasurer Ruth Zeldenrust, pictured left discusses Farm Bureau’s ‘Party for the Pollinators’ activities during the American Farm Bureau Federation® Annual Meeting with RFD Radio Network anchor/editor DeLoss Jahnke. ‘Party for the Pollinators’ was designed this project to communicate farmers’ efforts to preserve and increase pollinator habitat as well as to illustrate the connection between pollinators and our food system to urban consumers. |
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Board members Jim Bloomstrand, Ruth Zeldenrust, and Dan Biernacki along with volunteer leader Karen Biernacki joined members from throughout the U.S. for the closing session of the AFBF Annual Meeting. In addition to cheering on Illinois’ Young Leaders, they also had the opportunity to hear comments from Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and keynote speaker Bert Jacobs, Co-Founder of Life is Good®.
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Farm Bureau Director Jim Bloomstrand chats with fellow Farm Bureau members during the American Farm Bureau Federation® Annual Meeting and Trade Show. |
Dan Biernacki (picture right) and Karen Biernacki visit with a Farm Bureau member during the trade show at the AFBF Annual Meeting. Cook County Farm Bureau hosted a booth during the trade show featuring the ‘Party for the Pollinators’ program, which included four sub-projects: creation of a community pollinator garden; community presentations; pollinator garden community event; and large-scale community education event.