COUNTY FARM BUREAUS ARE IFBF STRENGTH

County Farm Bureaus are the strength of the state's largest general farm organization, according to Iowa Farm Bureau President Ed Wiederstein, who recently praised members for conducting activities that help farm families prosper and improve their quality of life.
“Without county involvement, without volunteers and without county Farm Bureaus working, your state Farm Bureau is helpless,” said Wiederstein while addressing more than 200 county Farm Bureau leaders at the IFBF midyear conference in West Des Moines. “The Iowa Farm Bureau is successful because county Farm Bureaus are active.”
Wiederstein highlighted several county Farm Bureau initiatives that are improving the quality of life in Iowa's rural communities. These included the hiring of a regional ag in the classroom coordinator to help educate children about agriculture's importance in Buena Vista, Sac, Cherokee, Woodbury and Ida Counties.
Also, Louisa County Farm Bureau's recently sponsored a young lady who spoke to more than 1,200 5-12 graders about the dangers of drug use and a risk management and advanced marketing skills workshop sponsored by Farm Bureaus in Cerro Gordo and Worth Counties.
In addition to county Farm Bureau efforts, Wiederstein said the Iowa Farm Bureau has been active on both the state and national level in helping pass legislation that benefits farm families. For example, Farm Bureau was a strong supporter of increased funding for the Plant Science Center at Iowa State University. The funding was approved by the state legislature this spring.
The center represents a long-term effort to provide scientific achievements and the knowledge contained in these achievements to everyone,” he said. “It is hoped that this sharing of information can increase our profits and our ability to successfully compete in the world marketplace.”
Farm Bureau also helped pass legislation requiring the Department of Natural Resources to use credible data in developing water quality standards. Wiederstein called the effort one of the giant legislative gains that Farm Bureau has accomplished in several years.
The legislation will protect the integrity of Iowa's water quality programs while making sure that they're based on reliable, scientific data. Wiederstein said it will pay gigantic returns because it will save time and money, ensuring that efforts to protect the environment have meaningful results.
The Aububon farmer said the organization will also continue to work on initiatives that were not passed this year, including the property tax growth limitation proposal and legislation to increase ethanol usage.
On the national front, Wiederstein praised passage of permanent normal trade relations with China by the U.S House. Farm Bureau has been a strong supporter of the legislation, designed to increase the potential for market expansion, creating new opportunities for U.S. farmers.
Wiederstein concluded by encouraging members to look to Farm Bureau for help in successfully managing the changes that are taking place today in production agriculture.
“We have to anticipate change, prepare for change and adapt to change," he said.” I can confidently say that Farm Bureau is there to help you navigate through change.”