To the tune of the “Rocky” theme song, American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman showed off a special membership jacket made just for him to celebrate 50 consecutive years of membership growth for the general farm organization at 92nd annual meeting opening general session on Sunday.

“American Farm Bureau membership stands at 6,279,813 member families,” Stallman said proudly during his opening address. “Today, thanks to you, we celebrate 50 consecutive years of growth.”

The theme of the annual meeting this year is “Producing Results” and Stallman says American agriculture continues to be the world’s biggest manufacturer. “America’s farm and ranch families are all about producing,” he said. “You produce and you deliver.”

Stallman used the annual address to announce that AFBF is taking new legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency. “It’s time to stop the EPA,” he said. “This suit will seek to rein in EPA’s latest and most aggressive effort to use the Clean Water Act to impose burdensome new regulations on agricultural production … the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load or TMDL.”

The AFBF president from Texas also talked about the estate tax reform victory and the challenges facing agriculture as Congress begins to consider a new farm bill.

Listen to or download Stallman’s opening address to the membership here: AFBF President Bob Stallman

If you need any photos from the AFBF opening general session, including most of the state presidents with Stallman, check out the photo album here – 2011 AFBF Annual Meeting Photo Album