The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, founded in 1917, is the state’s largest voluntary agricultural organization. It represents more than 50,000 member families in all 93 Nebraska counties and has 86 organized County Farm Bureaus. The farmers and ranchers who belong to Farm Bureau raise various livestock species and grow a variety of crops from sugarbeets to soybeans.

FARM BUREAU'S MISSION

Making the future great for Nebraska's agricultural community.

Farm Bureau’s goals are to:

• Improve net farm income
• Improve the quality of rural life
• Unite to analyze problems and formulate appropriate solutions

Farm Bureau represents agriculture at the county, state, national and international levels. It works to educate the public about agriculture and its importance to everyone’s personal and economic well-being. For more about the American Farm Bureau, go to www.fb.org.

Nebraska Farm Bureau uses a variety of means to accomplish its goals. Many of the buttons at left link to specific program areas. In addition, Farm Bureau provides its members a variety of training programs, and represents them in more than 50 coalitions dealing with a variety of public policy issues.

Farm Bureau also gives financial and in-kind support to 4-H, FFA, the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute, the Leadership Education/Action Development (LEAD) program, Junior Achievement, the Charles Marshall Educational Loan Fund, the Schwarz Memorial Agricultural Scholarship and the Agriculture in the Classroom program.

Nebraska Farm Bureau is governed by an elected Board of Directors, all of whom are farmers or ranchers. Douglas A. Gibson, chief administrator of Nebraska Farm Bureau and its affiliated companies, is secretary-treasurer of the board. Elected board members are:

NEBRASKA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Keith Olsen grows dryland wheat and corn near Grant.

First Vice President Steve Nelson has a general grain and livestock operation near Axtell.

At Large Director Susan Ladenburger has a cow-calf operation and grows corn, wheat and alfalfa near Stratton.

At Large Director Larry Hudkins has a cattle operation and raises corn and soybeans near Malcolm.

Youth At Large Director Hilary Maricle farms row crops and raises hay and has cow-calf, cattle backgrounding and feeder-to-finish hog operations near St. Edward.

District 1 Director Duane Sugden raises corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, hay, wheat and stock cows and calves near Sterling.

District 2 Director Mark McHargue has a cash grain and farrow-to-wean operation near Central City.

District 3 Director Ron Weber grows corn, soybeans and alfalfa and produces cattle near Tilden.

District 4 Director Kevin Peterson has a pork production facility and grows crops near Osceola.

District 5 Director John C. Martin grows irrigated and dryland row crops and small grains near Pleasanton.

District 6 Director Ross Garwood has a ranch and feedlot operation and also farms near Amelia.

District 7 Director Bruce Stuart grows irrigated corn, soybeans and alfalfa and operates a beef feedlot near Lexington.

District 8 Director Jeff Metz raises cattle and grows dryland crops near Angora.