The votes are in, the delegates have spoken and the American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting has concluded with a new set of policies. AFBF President, Bob Stallman, held a closing press conference to point out a few highlights from today’s decision making. He said that even with the adverse weather conditions that happened here in Atlanta the program ran smoothly …
Farm Bureau Members Engage in Social Media
A popular session at the American Farm Bureau annual meeting yesterday was “Grassroots Engagement with Social Media,” featuring some of the trailblazers in the SM world for agriculture. Florida Farm Bureau president John Hoblick introduced the session, which was moderated by AFBF’s Mace Thornton (@AFBFMace on Twitter). “I think of social media as being the equivalent of the green revolution …
MyAmericanFarm.org Showcased At AFBF Convention
My American Farm is a great and personal sounding name. It’s the url for a Pioneer sponsored project that’s conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. I spoke with Angela Mayfield (right) about what’s new with the project. Angela says that MyAmericanFarm.org is a free online resource that now has 12 games covering different topics on agriculture. They all meet …
Grassroots Farm Policy Making
One of the most important parts of the Annual Meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation is the annual meeting of the voting delegates. These folks got down to business early this morning and will hopefully conclude this afternoon with a new policy book. This is grassroots policy making in action! The leadership is at the head table with all …
Mike Rowe Answers Spokesman for Ag Question
Here is a video clip of Mike “Dirty Jobs” Rowe at the American Farm Bureau Federation press conference prior to his appearance at the closing general session. Roger Ward with WLDS in Jacksonville, Illinois asked him the question about whether he would be willing to be a spokesperson for agriculture. By the way, recording audio or video during Mike’s appearance …
NAFB President Lindsay Hill Reports At AFBF
A tradition at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting is to have the NAFB President give a pre-general session news and market report. This year NAFB President Lindsay Hill did her duties. You can find Lindsay at Cows & Coffee. I found out that I can hold an iPhone shooting video with my arms raised up for about 4 …
Serving Peanuts To Farmers
When you’re in Georgia at a farm show you know you’re going to be talking peanuts. That’s what I did with Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission, pictured with Donna Rocker. We not only talked peanuts we sampled some. Don says that during the trade show in the AFBF Pavilion at the AG CONNECT Expo they made and served 350 waffles …
Mike Rowe – Advocate for Agriculture
When asked if he would consider being a “spokesperson” for agriculture, Mike “Dirty Jobs” Rowe said, “I don’t think American agriculture needs a spokesman, I think they need an advocate. And the advocates I believe they need are people like me who have shown a long term addiction to chewing and swallowing.” Mike was kind enough to meet with the …
Farm Bureau Awards
The closing general session of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting is the time for awards and entertainment. The organization’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, was presented to University of Illinois agriculture professor Robert Thompson. “An economist by trade, Robert Thompson’s heart and soul is agriculture,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “There is no doubt …
Secretary of Ag Vilsack Addresses AFBF Annual Meeting
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the 2011 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting this afternoon. He made a couple of comments that drew applause from the audience. One of those dealt with concerns over USDA’s pending decision on regulating GM alfalfa. He said, “We’re trying to figure out, as difficult as it might be, is there a way …