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Historical Timeline Of The Farmers Federation
ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION
1 9 2 1 2 0 2 1 Making History
Created a century ago, the Alabama Farmers Federation has experienced exponential growth in its first 100 years. It began with 17,000 Alabama families and has grown to nearly 340,000 today.
From the development of its political influence and creation of state commodity programs to founding a strong, multi-line insurance company, its mission remains the same.
The Federation is led by farmers and is dedicated to serving farmers by promoting the economic, social and educational interests of all Alabamians.
1921 A group of farmers and businessmen met at Alabama Polytechnic Institute and formed what became the Alabama Farmers Federation. Charles Rittenour was elected the first state president. 1928 The executive committee of the Federation passed a resolution to establish a mutual insurance association for farmers to insure themselves.
1932 The Federation contracted with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. of Bloomington, Illinois, to provide auto insurance for Alabama members.
1934 The Federation endorsed a plan for a $2,000 homestead exemption from property taxes.
1929 Group life insurance was offered to members through Protective Life Insurance Co. in Birmingham.
1931 An estimated 10,000 farmers rallied in Cramton Bowl in Montgomery to oppose a bill in the state Legislature which some claimed was meant to cripple their farm organization. Ed O’Neal was elected American Farm Bureau president. Robert Croom was elected to fill O’Neal’s unexpired term. John “Litt” Edwards was elected state president.
1935 The Agricultural Adjustment Act Soil Conservation Program proved to be a $38 million benefit for Alabama farmers.
1937 The Federation offered its support of rural electrification.
Charles Rittenour
1922 The Federation published the first issue of its own newspaper of agricultural and organizational news April 1.
1923 Edward A. O’Neal III was elected state organization president.
1925 Wilcox was the final county to organize a county Farmers Federation. 1938 John “Litt” Edwards resigned as state president, and William Howard Gray was elected.
1939 Farm telephones were promoted as a way to help reduce fire losses.
1940 Walter Randolph was elected Federation president. 1941 The Federation participated in a meeting in Washington to support full parity for farmers. Ed O’Neal and Walter Randolph were key leaders in making the 100% parity proposal at the federal level.
1942 The Federation purchased a $1,000 World War II defense bond and urged county organizations to purchase bonds.
1946 The Federation formed its own insurance company to write fire insurance on farm homes and buildings.
1947 The Federation began its automobile insurance company separately from the fire company. An office building at 108 North McDonough St. in Montgomery was purchased to house the Federation, insurance company and related offices.
1948 Federation headquarters experienced rapid growth and relocated to a three-story building at Clayton and Holcombe streets in Montgomery.
1953 The Federation was successful in winning sales tax exemptions on feed, insecticides and fungicides in the Alabama Legislature.
1955 Federation delegates adopted a resolution opposing any increase in property taxes.
1956 A resolution was passed at the Federation’s state convention to form the Young People’s Program. First State Young Peoples Committee elected.
1959 The Federation and insurance companies move into a new home office on the Southern Bypass in Montgomery.
1961 J.D. Hays was elected Federation president.
1963 James E. Brady Jr. of Perry County was elected American Farm Bureau Federation Young People’s Chair. 1994 The Federation organized FarmPAC, its political action committee.
1965 The first Alabama Farm Bureau Women’s Committee was formed.
1967 The Federation urged the Legislature to provide an adequate highway system for the state. 1968 The Federation organized Alabama Farm Bureau Rural Health, which became Alfa Health.
1972 The lid bill, supported by the Federation to limit property tax increases, passed the Alabama Legislature. The bill established that land would be classified into categories, each taxed at a specific rate.
1975 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Henry Kissinger addressed the Federation commodity conference in Birmingham. The first issue of Neighbors magazine was published.
1978 The Legislature passed the current use law, mandating property be taxed for its use rather than speculative value. Goodwin L. Myrick was elected Federation president.
1981 Alabama resigned from American Farm Bureau in January.
1986 The Federation and insurance companies home office in Montgomery was remodeled, doubling in size. The Alfa Endowed Eminent Scholar for Agriculture Business and Economics was established at Auburn University. 1987 The organization changed its name from the Alabama Farm Bureau to Alabama Farmers Federation. Its insurance companies become known as Alfa.
1998 Jerry A. Newby was elected Federation president. The Farming Feeds Alabama campaign was launched. 2009 The Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation was formed and funded agriculture scholarships.
2010 The Alabama Legislature passed the Family Farm Preservation Act to protect law-abiding farms from nuisance lawsuits. The State Women’s Committee changed its name to the State Women’s Leadership Committee. Will Gilmer of Lamar County was elected AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee chairman.
2012 Jimmy Parnell was elected Federation president.
2002 The Alabama Ag Tag was created to help fund Alabama Agriculture In The Classroom, Farming Feeds Alabama and agricultural scholarships.
2003 The Federation led efforts to defeat Amendment 1, a $1.2 billion tax referendum, which would have been the largest tax increase in the state’s history.
2005 The Federation voted to rejoined American Farm Bureau Federation.
2008 The first class of the Federation’s Agricultural Leaders for Alabama was chosen. Townsend Kyser of Hale County was elected AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee chairman. 2014 The Alfa Leadership Academy was established to develop leaders and promote succession planning within Alfa Insurance Co. and the Federation. New participants are selected annually for the year-long class.
2015 Jon Hegeman of Calhoun County was elected AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee chairman. The Federation and Alabama Farmers Cooperative launched Simply Southern TV show.
2018 Farm Bureau Bank was launched in Alabama.
Welcome to the century club, ALFA!
Congratulations on 100 years as the premier organization serving the farmers and ranchers of Alabama. Thank you, President Parnell and all ALFA leaders and staff, for your impressive work on behalf of agriculture. We’re confident you are headed for another remarkable century. We look forward to sharing the journey as partners in service to our members.
Living The Good Life With Alfa Insurance
By Debra Davis
Most farmers know a good investment when they see it. Fertile land, quality seeds, good equipment and genetically superior livestock all contribute to future success.
Eighty-seven-year-old Philip Martin practiced all those things during his career, and his Coffee County farm near Enterprise was successful. But an investment made off the farm generates dividends that are especially meaningful, he said.
“I remember my local agent, (the late) Ed Donaldson, told Mr. Ed Lowder (Alfa’s first executive vice president) if he’d let him sell the first new life policy, he would support the plan to sell life insurance,” Martin said. “Mr. Donaldson sold that $25,000-policy to me, and I’ve never regretted it. I get a dividend check from it every year.”
Alfa previously sold life insurance policies for other companies but began selling its own life policies in 1971. Martin’s policy, Number L 001, is among 301,361 policies issued by Alfa Life Co., totaling nearly $31.5 billion in force.
Martin was 37 on Dec. 2, 1971, when he bought the Alfa life policy. He said he didn’t realize the significance of the decision for several decades, joking that he’s in no hurry to collect on the policy.
The purchase of that first life insurance policy is special to Martin and his wife, Charlene. It represents hundreds of fond memories and experiences they’ve had with Alfa and the Alabama Farmers Federation.
“I got involved in the Alabama Farmers Federation right after I returned home from college,” said Martin, who lives a quarter mile from his childhood home south of Enterprise. “It wasn’t long before folks on the county board of directors asked me to join. I knew it was an organization with a strong group of dairymen who were politically active. They could get things done, not to mention the organization represented all the other farmers, too. This organization helped give me and all the farmers a voice.” Martin has been a leader in the organization for years, serving as Coffee County Farmers Federation president from 1967 to 1998.
He served two terms as a state board member for Alabama Farm Bureau, which eventually became the Alabama Farmers Federation. His first term was 1969-1971; his second was 1998-2003.
Martin retired in 2004 after more than 30 years as a dairyman, where he milked cows by hand and later with modern machinery. He’s seen a lot of changes in agriculture and in the insurance industry.
“Alfa is still a great company today because of the great agents and employees it has and because of the farmers who run the company,” Martin said. “It is still a company that is run by people who live in our communities, who worship and raise their families in Alabama. That makes Alfa special.”
The Martins still live on their farm on the outskirts of Enterprise with their son, Edwin. Their nephew raises beef cattle in the fields near their home. Daughter Anne Marie Bliss and her husband live in Texas with the Martins’ four grandchildren.
Alfa President Jimmy Parnell said when he joined the Federation as a young man, it was men like Martin who encouraged him to take a leadership role.
“For 100 years, the Alabama Farmers Federation has been led by hardworking men and women committed to improving life for people in their communities,” Parnell said. “Philip Martin embodies our core values of faith, family, community and integrity. As we celebrate our centennial and Alfa’s 75th anniversary, it’s only fitting that our first life insurance policy be held by a farmer like Mr. Martin.”
For information about Alfa life insurance or to find a local agent, visit AlfaInsurance.com.
Philip Martin was 37 when bought the first Alfa Life Insurance policy in 1971. Now 87, Martin said he didn’t realize the significance of the decision for several decades, joking that he’s in no hurry to collect on the policy. Philip and Charlene Martin have been married 62 years and have been actively involved in the Alabama Farmers Federation nearly seven decades.
ALABAMA FARM BUREAU ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION
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