FL Well Represented at AFBF Annual Meeting in San Antonio

Gary Cooper Florida, General

(Gainesville, Fla.) – Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick is leading a group of about 110 Florida Farm Bureau members to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th Annual Meeting this week in San Antonio. The group includes voting and Women’s delegates, county presidents other leaders, and staff.
American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman will recognize Florida Farm Bureau’s organizational achievements by presenting Hoblick with Awards of Excellence in all five performance categories. Those include education and promotion, leadership development, policy implementation, public relations and member services.

Larry and Jenny Black of Polk County will represent Florida in the Young Farmer & Rancher Achievement Award competition. At the Florida Farm Bureau annual meeting in October, the Blacks received a new Dodge Ram Quad Cab truck courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company for being selected winners of the state YF&R Achievement Award.

Scott and Sarah Joe Thomas of Marion, winners of Florida Farm Bureau’s Excellence in Agriculture competition, will participate in the AFBF competition for farmers and ranchers who are under the age of 35 and do not derive the majority of their income from an owned farm operation.

Keith Shiver, a Lafayette County dairyman, will represent Florida in the Young Farmer & Rancher Discussion meet. The discussion meet is a forum that allows young farmers and ranchers aged 18-35 to demonstrate their ability to express ideas and opinions on major agricultural issues.

Broward County Farm Bureau was among 15 county Farm Bureaus from across the nation selected by the American Farm Bureau Federation through the County Activities of Excellence (CAE) program for outstanding programs and initiatives. Representatives from Broward County will staff a booth in the trade show area of the convention showcasing their “A Taste of South Florida” exposition.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general-interest agricultural association with about 138,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation is an independent, nonprofit agricultural organization. More information about Florida Farm Bureau is available on the organization’s Web site, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.
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