I love witnessing the power of Missouri agriculture throughout the entire month of August. From watching children and adults of all ages roam the grounds at the Missouri State Fair to producers from all over the state attending the annual Missouri Farm Bureau Commodity Conference, it’s an invigorating time. It’s a reminder of the impact that farmers and ranchers have not just here at home but throughout the country and the world.
To focus on the various sectors within agriculture, MOFB has 16 commodity advisory committees designed to provide valuable feedback from farmers engaged in producing these commodities. Our committees convene in Jefferson City at our annual Commodity Conference to gather important information and discuss the issues impacting decisions farmers and ranchers make daily. This year’s two-day event featured speakers who covered everything from clogged global shipping lanes to the “green web” of President Biden’s troubled climate agenda. The presentations sent participants back to their counties with a wealth of new knowledge and contacts statewide.
The event also served as another opportunity to watch the grassroots nature of Missouri Farm Bureau in action. Each year, our members come together to present ideas, discuss issues, and vote on policies that impact agriculture and our communities. It’s been that way since our organization was founded as the first state Farm Bureau back in 1915. From 300 farmers attending the first meeting in March of that year to the more than 150,000 MOFB members today, the power that comes from our grassroots is impactful in ways that inspire me every year.
Farm Bureau was planted with purpose in 1915 and rooted in service in the decades that followed. Throughout the century, members have come together to share their voice and they’ve built the organization into what it is today. I invite you to join these grassroots conversations by attending your county meetings, the state conference or many of the other activities MOFB hosts throughout the year.
Like our first members who partnered together to protect rural America, MOFB remains focused on growing our impact from the grassroots so that we can advocate for farmers, the rural way of life and all Missourians.
