American Farm Bureau Federation

This article is about the lobbying group. For the insurance, fund and annuities financial company, see FBL Financial Group.
Not to be confused with the National Farmers Union.
American Farm Bureau Federation
EstablishedNovember 12, 1919; 105 years ago (1919-11-12)
FounderJohn Barron
TypeAgricultural lobbying organization
FocusAgriculture
Location
Area served
United States
MethodLobbying
Key people
Vincent "Zippy" Duvall (President)
Websitewww.fb.org
Farm Bureau office in Pinckney, Michigan
1935 FDR remarks for the American Farm Bureau Federation on agriculture during the Great Depression

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), more informally called the American Farm Bureau (AFB) or simply the Farm Bureau, is a United States–based 501(c)(5) tax-exempt agricultural organization and lobbying group.[1] Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Farm Bureau has affiliates in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Each affiliate is a (state or county) Farm Bureau, and the parent organization is also often called simply the Farm Bureau.

Founded in 1919,[2] the AFBF represents the 2 million farms in the United States, and is among the agriculture industry's largest lobby groups.[3][4] Some observers contend that its federal lobbying efforts, which began in the 1930s, helped drive the subsequent three-decade shift to larger farms.[5]

In 2022, the AFBF spent $2,120,000 on lobbying,[6] including for policies benefitting the for-profit activities of state farm bureaus, such as federal subsidies for the crop insurance sold by affiliate companies.[7][8] Until 2019, it denied that climate change was real.[9]

AFBF itself does not sell insurance, but all but a handful of its non-profit state affiliates have affiliated for-profit insurance companies. Most of AFBF's revenue comes from dues paid by its nearly 5.9 million members,[10] most of whom are not farmers but insurance customers who pay the dues as a condition of their policies.[11]

Every year, the organization holds an annual convention and adopts new policies to guide its work. The convention is attended by farmer and rancher delegates from across the United States.[12]

  1. ^ Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, Brandon (2013-05-09). "American Farm Bureau Federation - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-07-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)". Britannica. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  3. ^ "Agricultural Services & Products: Lobbying, 2022". OpenSecrets. Archived from the original on 2023-02-11. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "USDA ERS - Farming and Farm Income". www.ers.usda.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-12-11. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  6. ^ "American Farm Bureau Lobbyists". OpenSecrets. Archived from the original on 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  7. ^ McVan, Madison (2022-02-08). "The American Farm Bureau Federation claims it's the 'Voice of Agriculture.' These groups beg to differ". Investigate Midwest. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference The Nation2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Harvesting Peril". Inside Climate News. Archived from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  10. ^ "American Farm Bureau Federation". www.fb.org. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Farm Bureau Establishes Policies Including Higher THC Levels in Hemp". Northern Ag Network. 2020-01-22. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.