Eighty Years of Service for North Carolina Farm Bureau

North Carolina Farm Bureau is proud to celebrate 80 years of service to the farm and rural families of our great state. With the unwavering support of our volunteer leaders, our legacy as the Voice of Agriculture will continue for decades more.

Born from the economic disaster of the Great Depression, NCFB was established March 2, 1936. Those 2,000 farmers, in 24 counties, are now more than 530,000 families across 100 counties. During our second annual meeting in September 1937, our first six policy resolutions were approved. As our grassroots policy positions have expanded, so have our legislative accomplishments:

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• 1952 – NCFB encouraged the establishment of the Nickels for Know-How referendum. This program is credited with helping save cotton as a viable crop through its funding of boll weevil research.
• 1958 – NCFB helped win renewal of the 1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act, holding a Trade Act Rally, publishing editorials, and coordinating grassroots contact with Congressional representatives.
• 2004 – NCFB efforts played a major role in securing the $10.14 billion tobacco quota buyout – an unprecedented legislative accomplishment included in the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004.
• 2015-16 – NCFB was the leading advocate for the $2 billion Connect NC Bond Act, which included agricultural benefits, as well as improvements to higher education, state parks, National Guard facilities, and water and sewer infrastructures across the state.

Because of the vision and dedication of our farmer leaders, Farm Bureau is a respected and unified voice representing our members. Legislative engagement remains our core mission, but it is not Farm Bureau’s sole policy mandate.

In 1953, we expanded our services to include NCFB Mutual Insurance Company to assist farmers and rural folks obtain adequate insurance coverage.

We believe in investing in the future through programming that grows the next generation of Ag leaders, such as our Ag in the Classroom Program. In 1958, NCFB’s R. Flake Shaw Scholarship was created and currently sponsors 32 university and community college scholarships annually. In 1984, NCFB’s Institute for Future Ag Leaders was launched. NCFB also makes substantial contributions to 4-H, FFA and other youth programs.

Farm Bureau has kept an eye on rural healthcare since 1962 when we promoted nutrition, advocated healthy diets for teenagers and developed awareness campaigns about tetanus. From 2010 through 2014, we sponsored our Healthy Living for a Lifetime program that served rural healthcare needs through mobile medical screenings.

Through these programs and other efforts, we cast a large and proud footprint across this state. I’m proud of the professionals who represent our brand. Our pledge is to continue to build upon this foundation and continue to serve. I thank you for your trust and your membership.

– Larry Wooten