Georgia Farm Bureau is celebrating its eighty fifth anniversary this 12 months. The group started when a gaggle of farmers from seven counties in northwest Georgia met on the Bartow County courthouse on June 17, 1937. 

Farmers attended the assembly organized by Robert M. Stiles, a Bartow County farmer, as a result of they wanted a farmer-led group to symbolize them.  A second assembly, attended by 50 farmers from 25 counties, was held in Atlanta on July 31, 1937. Throughout this assembly, the farmers fashioned the United Georgia Farmers and elected Stiles president of the group.

In 1939, the United Georgia Farmers affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation and two years later modified their identify to the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Federation. 

Since 1937, Farm Bureau’s mission has been to present farmers a united voice within the legislative enviornment, promote farm markets and supply management to Georgia’s agricultural group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, voluntary membership group that’s native, state, nationwide and worldwide in its scope and affect. 

“Georgia Farm Bureau has been, and can proceed to be, a grassroots group that represents farmers in Atlanta and D.C. primarily based on coverage positions our members decide,” stated GFB President Tom McCall. “Georgia Farm Bureau has grown via the years because it began providing providers and advantages requested by our members, equivalent to insurance coverage, however our core mission – to be the Voice of Georgia’s farmers – hasn’t modified.”

The primary points GFB advocated for on behalf of Georgia’s farmers included increasing electrical energy throughout rural Georgia and bettering farm-to-market roads. Right this moment, Farm Bureau continues to advocate for farmers on the county, state and nationwide ranges on points together with zoning, water, environmental rules, labor, taxes and transportation. Each place that GFB takes on any situation is predicated on coverage permitted by Farm Bureau members in the course of the group’s annual coverage improvement course of.

In 1944, the GFB house workplace moved to Macon. After being housed in 4 totally different buildings in Macon between 1944 and 1988, GFB relocated to its present house workplace in Bibb County in 1988.

In 1958, insurance coverage providers weren’t available to rural Georgians, so GFB members voted to determine their very own insurance coverage firm.  

The Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance coverage Firm (GFBMIC) started operations on Jan. 2, 1959. The GFBMIC is owned one hundred pc by GFB policyholders, and at this time is the most important Georgia-based private traces property casualty insurance coverage firm.

County Farm Bureau workplaces started opening right now, and at this time, GFB has 158 county workplaces. Every county workplace is affiliated with GFB however operates underneath its personal autonomy and is ruled by a neighborhood board of administrators.

“Georgia Farm Bureau began as a result of a gaggle of farmers noticed the necessity to band collectively to advocate for issues individuals in rural Georgia wanted,” stated Bert Hurst, Thomas County Farm Bureau president. “There was a time when rural Georgians couldn’t get hospitalization insurance coverage, and Georgia Farm Bureau labored to vary this. As soon as the Georgia legislature modified the state regulation, rural Georgians wanted an organization to supply insurance coverage, and so Georgia Farm Bureau began its personal firm and started offering insurance coverage as a member service. Many individuals assume Georgia Farm Bureau is simply an insurance coverage firm and don’t notice we began as a company to advocate for farmers and rural Georgia, which we proceed to do. Insurance coverage is simply part of what we do.”

Right this moment Farm Bureau member advantages have expanded to incorporate well being providers, banking providers, identification theft restoration, $500 bonus money financial savings on eligible Ford autos, reductions on accommodations, rental vehicles, amusement park tickets, prescribed drugs, listening to dietary supplements, purchases via Grainger and Jiffy Lube. 

“Thomas County Farm Bureau really is a neighborhood group. Our county workers dwell right here. They know the residents of Thomas County and may serve our members effectively as a result of they care about our group,” stated Hurst. “Some individuals be a part of our group as a result of they wish to help the work we do on behalf of farmers and rural Georgia. Others be a part of Farm Bureau as a result of they wish to achieve entry to our many member advantages. You don’t must be a farmer to buy Farm Bureau insurance coverage, and also you don’t must buy insurance coverage to be a Farm Bureau member.” 

Via the years, Farm Bureau has carried out quite a few applications for Georgia’s farmers. GFB operates a Licensed Farm Market program, which promotes farmers who develop produce and promote their merchandise on to shoppers or who supply agritourism actions to the general public. Member applications such because the GFB Ladies’s Management and the GFB Younger Farmers & Ranchers Packages supply management improvement alternatives and methods for all family members to become involved with the group.

To study extra about Farm Bureau, contact the Thomas County Farm Bureau workplace (229) 226-0431 or go to www.gfb.org . To learn extra about GFB’s historical past go to  www.gfb.ag/85yearhistory.

The Thomas County Farm Bureau can be having a birthday celebration in honor of GFB’s eighty fifth birthday on Friday, June 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. situated on the Thomas County workplace at 2376 Freeway 122.