By Matt Hartong
Every year, Summit County Farm Bureau and Ohio Farm Bureau hold annual meetings. In general, the purpose of these meetings is to go over the past years business and amend the county and state policy books to best represent the Farm Bureau as a whole.
On a county level, the meeting is in the evening and all attendees are served dinner before official business takes place. The annual meeting committee works all year to put together an event that SCFB members can really look forward to. Once dinner has concluded the meeting is called to order by the President of SCFB. Every year a Distinguished Service Award is given to a SCFB member. We then cover the past year’s business.
Minutes from the last year’s annual meeting, financial reports, voting on delegates to the Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, voting on local public policy changes, recommended state policy changes, as well as hearing from state trustees, encompass business from start to finish. We typically end each meeting with a raffle where you have a chance to win door prizes.
If you haven’t been to a county annual meeting I encourage you to do so. All SCFB members are invited to attend the meeting and hold voting power.
The state annual meeting is a two day affair where delegates from all Ohio county Farm Bureaus’ gather in Columbus the first or second week in December. The number of delegates sent to the state annual meeting is based upon the number of Farm Bureau members in each county. SCFB sends 5 delegates that are elected at the county meeting a year prior.
Around 320 delegates from across the state review code and public policy changes made by the state code and public policy committee, as well as changes proposed by county Farm Bureaus. It is a wonderful exercise in proposing an idea, telling other members why it’s needed in the state policy book and defending the idea if other Farm Bureau members disagree.
The OFBF State Public Policy book is one of the most valuable aspects of having a Farm Bureau Membership. It is a direct reflection of what we as agriculturalists deem important enough to have specific language and policy about. It is also a book lawmakers and legislatures turn to when they have issues that might directly or indirectly affect agriculture. The policy book has had a direct influence on the rules and laws we deal with today.
I encourage every single member of SCFB to come to our annual meeting. It is a place where like-minded individuals can gather in fellowship. Any SCFB member can also be a delegate at the state annual meeting. It’s an excellent opportunity to participate in the procedure that helps shape the very laws and policy that affects our businesses.
