American Farm Bureau Federation is the largest general farm organization in the United States. More than 5 million families are members of the federation. The federation works to protect and advance the business and economic interests of farmers and ranchers by supporting educational programs, promoting favorable legislation, and sponsoring helpful services. It is an independent and voluntary organization that operates on local, state, national, and international levels. When promoting legislation, the federation works with both Democrats and Republicans.
The American Farm Bureau Federation helps its members solve many problems affecting individual farm products. It works to reduce crop surpluses and to expand markets for farm products in the United States and in other countries. The federation promotes research to find new uses for farm products in the home and in industry. In many states, insurance, cooperative and group purchasing of farm supplies, and cooperative marketing of farm products are among its most important services. The federation also promotes farm safety, citizenship, leadership training, education, and social and community betterment.
Organization.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is composed of state Farm Bureaus from all of the states and from Puerto Rico. The state bureaus are composed of county bureaus, and county bureaus are composed of farm and ranch families.
Each year, delegates from the states meet at the federation’s national convention to determine the organization’s policies and program of action. All the delegates are farmers whose chief occupation and interest is farming or ranching. The delegates elect a board of directors and a president and vice president. Directors and officers carry on the federation’s affairs between conventions. The directors represent all sections of the United States. These officials are responsible to the federation delegate body for their activities.
The American Farm Bureau Federation has its national headquarters in Washington, D.C. The federation publishes a newsletter. Most of its state bureaus also publish magazines or newspapers.
History.
A group of 28 state farm bureaus formed the American Farm Bureau Federation in Chicago in 1919. The federation played an important part in developing farm legislation during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. This legislation emphasized soil conservation programs, price supports, and acreage control regulations. After World War II ended in 1945, the federation recommended changes in government farm programs. The changes were intended to reduce the farmers’ dependence on crop price supports and acreage controls.
