The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has more members than ever before.

According to new AFBF membership figures, there are now 6,279,813 member families that belong to the nation’s largest general farm organization, marking 50 consecutive years of membership growth. State Farm Bureaus overall reported a total 2,149 more member families this year than in 2009.

American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman credited strong agricultural advocacy programs at the local, state and national levels and the growing portfolio of services offered by state Farm Bureaus for the organization’s 50th straight year of membership growth.

Lots of state Farm Bureau meetings are being held around the country this month. Here in the home state of ZimmComm World Headquarters, Missouri Farm Bureau elected a new president yesterday. Blake Hurst of Atchison County will replace retiring Charlie Kruse, who has served as president for 18 years. Blake is not only a successful row crop farmer, he’s also a successful freelance writer who has had numerous agriculture-related articles published in The American Enterprise, Reader’s Digest, Wilson Quarterly and the Wall Street Journal. One of those we highlighted here on Agwired last year, a clever piece he wrote for The American Enterprise titled “The Omnivore’s Delusion.”