CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN

During the past two years, Wisconsin Farm Bureau has been

celebrating its Centennial 100th anniversary. As we wrap up the celebration, we also will be culminating the Centennial Campaign. Contributors to this campaign help preserve Wisconsin’s farming heritage by supporting the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation. Programs supported by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation include the WFBF Leadership Institute, Young Farmer and Agriculturist, Promotion and Education and Ag in the Classroom. WFBF is fortunate to have the support The WFBF Leadership Institute is one of the programs funded by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation. of Rural Mutual Insurance Company and their match of donations ($50-$10,000) up to $100,000 for the Centennial Campaign. As a 501(c)3, donations are tax-deductible and 100 percent of funds received support agricultural education and leadership programs.

Donations received between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31 will be recognized by the following gift and will be listed in Rural Route as a contributor. a. $50 - $199 donations - Centennial pin b. $200 - $499 donations - Centennial pin and commemorative coin c. $500+ donations - Centennial pin, commemorative coin and sign

To donate, visit wfbf.com/centennial/centennial-fundraising. Checks can be mailed to WFB Foundation, PO Box 5550, Madison, WI 53705. To learn more about the WFB Foundation, visit wfbf.com/foundation. Double your impact with Rural Mutual's Contribution Match.

Centennial Donations July 21 - Sept. 28, 2020 $50-$199 DONATION Wes Raddatz in memory of Chloe Eckelberg Dave and Kim Daniels in memory of Bob Bartholomew

$500+ DONATION

Waukesha County Farm Bureau in memory of Bob Bartholomew

Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom is kicking off the 2020-2021 school year by announcing the Book of the Year, “Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car” written by Peggy Thomas.

Each year, the Ag in the Classroom program holds an essay contest in conjunction with the Book of the Year for fourth- and fifth-grade students throughout the state. This year’s essay contest topic is, ‘How have Wisconsin soybean farmers fueled Wisconsin’s economy?’

Thomas’ book also is the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Book of the Year and has an educator’s guide developed for it. Accompanying lessons aligned to educational standards and Wisconsin educational resources are available online for teachers, students and volunteers to use in promoting and preparing essays. This topic will enable teachers and students to use the Soybean Science Kits to learn about how soybeans grow and connect to science.

“There is so much behind the Henry Ford story and his connection to agriculture,” said Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Darlene Arneson. “The book looks at how Henry Ford grew up on a farm and searched for ways to use soybeans in the car plant, in his diet and in other ways. The essay contest focuses on how soybeans continue to be used and how they impact Wisconsin’s economy.” and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau

Essay submissions must be 100- to Foundation. 300-words in length and will be judged Nine district winners will be selected on content, grammar, spelling and with one being chosen as the state winner neatness. The essay contest rules, lesson in May. Each district winner will receive plans and sample classroom activities are a classroom presentation for his or her located at wisagclassroom.org/events- class. Last year, more than 1,500 students activities/essay-contest. Essays are due participated in the contest. April 1, 2021. Questions about the book or essay

The contest is sponsored by Wisconsin contest can be directed to Wisconsin Ag Soybean Association, We Energies, in the Classroom Coordinator Darlene Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board Arneson at darneson@wfbf.com.

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture announced the first round of WhiteReinhardt Resource Grant winners. Five winners were from Wisconsin. Thanks to a generous donation from the CSL Foundation, set up in memory of the AFBFA’s late executive director Christy Lilja, they were able to fund 70 grants, 20 more than expected.

The purpose of the grants is to provide funds to educators to enable them to purchase accurate agricultural literacy materials from the AFBFA store for use in their classrooms. By providing this grant, AFBFA hopes to help students gain access to more accurate information about agriculture. Seventy educators from across the country received $100 credits to the AFBFA Farm Bureau Store.

• Lisa Jagielo, Unity High School in Balsam Lake • Amy Mather, Northern Hills

Elementary School in Onalaska • Kristina Puntney, Baraboo High

School in Baraboo • Kirsten Konder, Luck High

School in Luck • Carla Zimmerman, Lombardi

Middle School in Green Bay

Find out more about AFBFA and this grant program by visiting agfoundation.org.