2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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I’m growing forward by encouraging our board to look at the part-time farmer. We need to tailor our message to those who may not have a large farm, but still love agriculture.”
—Kayla Thomason, YF&R State Leadership Group
—Steven Dicks, Columbia County President
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Growing forward to me means continually innovating and looking into the future to adapt to the challenges we face as producers.”
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“Growing forward means persevering through challenges big and small. It’s about pushing forward, looking for positives in every situation and always trying to do your best.”
—Chad Flint, YF&R State Leadership Group
Growing forward is investing in the younger generation. If we continue to educate young people we can continue to grow agriculture.”
—Danielle Daum, Women’s Leadership Committee Chair
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I’m growing forward in trying to maintain the way of life of the Florida farmer. Whatever it takes, that is what I’m growing in.”
—Erin Jones, Gilchrist County President
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I am growing forward not only by expanding my knowledge of Florida agriculture but by educating others to help them grow forward as well.” —Stormie Bigham, State Women’s Committee Member
—James Sutton, Sumter County President
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To me, ‘growing forward’ means utilizing new technology and practices to help overcome the many obstacles faced in agriculture so we can be as sustainable and productive as possible.”
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear family members, I am pleased to outline the accomplishments of our grassroots members over the past membership year. The following pages highlight ways our members are growing agriculture forward across the Sunshine State. Through the hard work and determination of our county Farm Bureaus, we welcomed 132,349 member families in the 2022-23 membership year. Thirty-one county Farm Bureaus were honored with a President’s Award for receiving the awards of excellence in five membership categories and meeting membership quota. Our farm family members continued to give back to local communities through food drives and an array of charitable projects. Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Committees throughout the state collectively donated 18.7 million pounds of food to the Harvest for All Food Bank. This donation earned the state YF&R Leadership Group a first place award at the 2023 AFBF Fusion Conference earlier this year. They were also celebrated for their volunteerism by tallying the most service hours for a total of 6,400. The philanthropic spirit of our Women’s Leadership Committee was displayed
year-round with more than $27,000 donated to a range of charitable and foodrelated causes. The women also provided more than 100 classroom mini-grant scholarships and funded ten Florida teachers to attend the National Ag-in-the Classroom conference to learn how to promote agriculture in the classroom. Our unified voice was on full display at the state and national level. More than 800 guests attended our Taste of Florida Agriculture Reception at the annual Farm Bureau Day in Tallahassee. Members visited with elected officials to advocate for the Farm TEAM card and a sweeping tax package including exemptions for fencing materials and special assessments. Our County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) recognition program continued to broaden its reach. We recognized 21 farm families last year for their environmental stewardship and continued to empower our grassroots members to recognize farmers in their communities who implement innovative and sustainable farm practices. To date, more than 900 farm families have been recognized statewide. Our Agriculture Education Services & Technology (AEST)
program delivered more than 27,000 exams to students in the 2022-23 school year. We continued to elevate our outreach to a non-farm audience by participating in two inaugural tailgate events at the University of Florida and Florida State University for the third consecutive year. Coined The Home Field AGvantage, these events showcased Florida agriculture, food and farm families to football fans. I am humbled to be part of a grassroots organization such as Florida Farm Bureau Federation. Together, we will continue to grow agriculture forward through sustainable farming and ranching practices. Respectfully,
Jeb S. Smith President
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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GROWING OUR
NUMBERS $18.7 21 farmers and ranchers were honored for their environmental stewardship with a CARES Award throughout the state
FAMA Buyer’s Club delivered fresh food to Farm Bureau members in 34 states
More than half of our county Farm Bureaus sponsored Farm-City Week events in 2022 to help connect rural and urban communities
59 of our county Farm Bureaus participated in the county recognition program
More than half of our county Farm Bureaus earned the President’s Award
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MILLION
Florida Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers donated 18.7 million pounds of food to the Harvest for All food drive competition.
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27,321
34
$1.8
37 59
31
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
MILLION
132,349
42 $157,500
Agriculture Education Services and Technology issued 27,321 certification exams in 2022-23 school year 1.8 million audience reached across Florida Farm Bureau’s social media platforms
Florida Farm Bureau served a total of 132,349 member families
42 county Farm Bureaus grew in membership
Members saved $157,500 with the Ford Farm Bureau Exclusive Cash Award
GROWING
O
POLICY
ur grassroots membership gives Florida Farm Bureau its influence as the Voice of Florida Agriculture. More than 200 members serve on our issue- and commodity-based advisory committees, and seven currently serve on American Farm Bureau Issue Advisory Committees. Member participation in government and community service is a positive force in developing public policy. Florida Farm Bureau member voices helped us to achieve legislative success for our farm families during the 2023 session of the Florida Legislature. Together we passed the Farm TEAM card (Tax Exemption Agricultural Materials), a card that will streamline agricultural sales tax exemptions for farmers
and ranchers which will be available starting January 1, 2024. We helped secure AI (Artificial Intelligence), BMP research and workload funding for UF/IFAS, and advocated for a sweeping tax package that included exemptions for fencing materials and special assessments. More than 200 members participated in our Farm Bureau Day at the state capital and attendance surpassed 800 guests at the Taste of Agriculture joint reception with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Farm Bureau volunteers also worked to address federal policy matters. Our annual Field to the Hill event returned to in-person visits,
and included the participation of more than 80 grassroots leaders who engaged with Florida’s Congressional delegation and other federal leaders in Washington, D.C. Discussions included the Farm Bill, labor reform and trade policy. We supported Florida’s Congressional delegation’s filing of a Sec. 301 petition on behalf of our fruit and vegetable producers, as well as the Florida Tomato Exchange’s petition to terminate the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement. Through their representation on various public comments and Farm Bill Listening Sessions, members are the authentic voice of Florida agriculture and the power of growing Farm Bureau forward.
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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GROWING
COMMUNITIES COMMUNICATION TOOLS Florida Farm Bureau Federation provides its members with the most advanced tools to be The Voice of Agriculture. Florida Farm & Family’s membership publication highlights Florida’s farmers and ranchers and rural life to a general consumer audience in both a print and digital format. Its online social audience reach was more than 529,000. We amplified our voice across our social media platforms, reaching an audience of more than 1.8 million collectively. We launched a podcast, Rural Recharge to help dispel the myths in agriculture. The monthly podcast features authentic conversations from farmers and ranchers on real issue that impact the farm. Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith serves as the host of the podcast and has helped enlighten listeners on an array of timely agricultural topics. The FloridAgriculture e-Newsletter has an average readership of 44 percent. We increased our Facebook following by 4.2 percent and saw a 15.3 percent increase on our Instagram and 4.3 percent on Twitter account followers from last year. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Our grassroots members give back to an array of charitable
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organizations and food banks in their community. This year, our Women’s Fund awarded ten scholarships for Florida teachers to attend the National Ag-in-the-Classroom Convention last summer in Orlando. Additionally, 117 classroom mini-grants totaling more than $28,000 were awarded to teachers across the state to promote agriculture in their classrooms. After Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area, Florida Farm Bureau Women opened up the Hurricane Idalia Relief Fund so that farm and ranch families could apply for relief from the agricultural losses suffered due to the storm. Our grassroots members are the first to help neighbors in need. County Farm Bureaus banded together to donate fencing supplies and materials to rebuild, thanks to the Disaster Relief Response Committee. More than $75,000 of materials were provided to fellow members to rebuild. Our Young Farmers & Ranchers won the Harvest for All award from American Farm Bureau for donating to Feeding Florida Food Banks for the most pounds (18.7 million) and most volunteer hours (6,400) served.
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
ENGAGEMENT
WEB
367K+
4.75M
Page Views
Sent
101K+
110 K+
New Visitors
Subscribers
17K+
3.7K+
Followers
Followers
1.2M+
263K+
Reach
Impressions
4.9K+
1.3K+
Followers
Followers
188K+
98K+
Reach
Impressions
The state board also donated $100,000 to Feeding Florida Food Banks. The donation went towards the purchase of fresh food grown by Florida farmers and ranchers. This contribution exemplifies Florida Farm Bureau’s dedication to combatting hunger while supporting the livelihoods of local farmers and ranchers.
GROWING
MEMBERSHIP T
he 2022-23 Annual Theme, Growing Forward embodies the remarkable strength and innovation of our farm families. The theme showcased grassroots activism, and how our farmer and rancher members continue to sustainably grow agriculture forward. It is a reminder that farming and ranching is vital to determining the quality of life in our state for future generations. 2022 ANNUAL MEETING Florida Farm Bureau welcomed more than 300 members to its 81st Annual Meeting in Orlando. Policy direction for 2023 was set for the organization and the celebration of our member families was evident. The President’s Banquet showcased the high achievements of our Young Farmers & Ranchers and the Commissioner’s AgriculturalEnvironmental Leadership Awards
Breakfast highlighted top farm families who care for our state’s natural resources. The 2022-23 Florida Farmer of the Year was named: Wade Purvis of Collier County. He will pass the torch to the 2024 Florida Farm Bureau Farmer of the Year who will serve as the organization’s ambassador for the 2023-24 membership year. Other significant awards included the Distinguished Service Award, the organization’s highest honor, the Legislator of the Year Awards and the Volunteer Communicator and Newsperson of the Year Awards. MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION County Farm Bureaus were recognized for their excellent programs and activities with the County Recognition Program. Florida Farm Bureau hosted its 3rd annual Home Field
AGvantage tailgate at FSU and UF football games to provide a complete interactive agricultural experience to help educate football fans about different commodities grown around the state. We recognized our members by providing a catered meal and free football tickets. These special events were celebrated with more than 3,500 tailgate visitors. The event was celebrated at the national level when it received AFBF’s New Horizon Award for its innovation in membership recruitment. Florida Farm Bureau also received the AFBF’s state awards of excellence for demonstrating outstanding achievements in four program areas, Advocacy, Engagement and Outreach, Leadership and Business Development and Membership Value.
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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GROWING
F
OUR LEADERS
lorida Farm Bureau held its inaugural 2023 Candidate School in May in Tallahassee. The school provided participants hands-on experience and the foundational skills for campaign management. Topics included budgeting, fundraising, media training, messaging and tips on winning an election. Florida Farm Bureau’s agricultural certification program, Agriculture Education Services and Technology (AEST), has issued more than 117,650 exams and 66,500 certifications to middle and high school students, college students, teachers, and LECALE participants in 385 Florida schools and 208 Louisiana schools. More than 27,300 exams were given in the 2022- 2023 academic school year alone and more than 14,750 certifications issued.
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In addition, 25 law enforcement officers were certified in its LECALE program. The AEST job board registered 90 employers, a 17% increase over the previous academic school year. YOUNG LEADERS The 2021-23 YF&R Leadership Group hosted an impressive annual conference in Orlando in July 2023. Themed “Growing Forward,” the conference welcomed more than 250 attendees for a weekend full of motivational breakout sessions, farm tours, and tenacious competitions, including the 3rd annual belly flop contest. The finalists were named for the YF&R Discussion Meet, Excellence in Agriculture and Achievement in Agriculture Award. Each finalist will compete for the state title in October.
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
The YF&R Leadership Group also received the Harvest for All award from American Farm Bureau for most pounds of food donated with more than 18.7 million pounds, and the most volunteer hours worked, with 6,400 hours total. WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY More than 90 farm women gathered in Panama City Beach in March for the annual Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Conference themed, “Growing Forward.” The weekend provided women the opportunity to network, build friendships and gain valuable knowledge to help them keep agriculture growing forward in their communities. Farm Bureau Women are essential to telling agriculture’s story at the local, state and national level.
GROWING OUR
FINANCES Florida Farm Bureau Federation and Subsidiaries Florida Farm Bureau Federation Income and Expense Summary For the Fiscal Year 2021-2022
Revenue Expense Operating Income (Loss) Other Income (Expense)
6,892,615 7,560,907 (668,292) 7,269,968
Income (Loss) Before Provision for Income Taxes and Other Changes Income Tax Benefit (Expense) Change In Net Assets
6,601,676 (5,807) 6,595,869
Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Fund, Incorporated Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Fund Balance For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2023
Revenue and Support Expense Revenue and Support in Excess of Expense Fund Balance at Beginning Of Year Fund Balance at End of This Month
256,943 259,155 (2,212) 73,432 71,220
Florida Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund, Incorporated Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Fund Balance For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2023
Revenue and Support Expense Revenue and Support in Excess of Expense Fund Balance at Beginning Of Year Fund Balance at End of This Month
28,808 35,174 (6,366) 78,684 72,317
Florida Farm Bureau assists county Farm Bureaus in all aspects of finance and accounting.
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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GROWING OUR
GRASSROOTS
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FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
THANK YOU MEMBERS!
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU | 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT
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OFFICERS 2022-23 President Jeb S. Smith
Vice President Steve Johnson
Secretary Clay Archey
Treasurer Michael J. Dooner
Directors District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7
Jerry Davis Jeff Pittman Henry McCrone Michael Dooner Rod Land Steven Dicks Thomas Ford
District 8 District 9 District 10 District 11 District 12 District 13 District 14
State Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Vice Chair
Danielle Daum Victoria Hunter
Glenn Ritch Adam Cook Pat Duane James Sutton Clay Archey Mark A. Byrd Christian Spinosa
District 15 District 16 District 17 District 18 District 19
Dan West Ken Harrison Mark Sodders Reed Hartman Mark Wilson
Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Group President Past President
Matt Gonzales Kevin Lussier
5700 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608 • (352) 378-8100 • www.floridafarmbureau.org