BEST-KEPT SECRET

For decades Arkansas Farm Bureau has been in every county in our great state. We have Farm Bureau buildings in every county and are usually a fixture among these communities. The work of the local county boards that fill those buildings are the best-kept secret in Arkansas. The men and women, who volunteer their valuable personal time in every county, have been under the radar for decades.

In this edition of Front Porch magazine, we are focusing on the great work that these volunteers have done and are doing to help their communities. Believe me, these are just small samples of what happens in these county Farm Bureaus every day and has been for years. We wanted to bring these efforts to you, the reader, because quite frankly, we could all use more good news right now in our troubled world. Hopefully in this edition we can tell our story and capture in a small way these wonderful volunteers who do GOOD STUFF. These efforts and good deeds are growing across our Farm Bureaus during a time in our nation’s history where these actions seem to be the exception rather than the norm.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is synonymous with our best product offered to our members, and that is our insurance products. The men and women who are involved with that insurance are second to none. The service offered to our policy holders is unmatched. The recent storms, as they always do, bring out the unparalleled service that Farm Bureau offers. A special thanks to all of the men and women who provide this great service. But our footprint encompasses even more than just our great insurance services.

The volunteer county board members help define our organization. Our “grassroots” organization is our bestkept secret. They offer their time to the policy, making process that creates a large voice in rural Arkansas.

That “grassroots” involvement has served the farmers and ranchers in our state in so many ways. State and local issues, as well as national and even international issues, have been addressed for the rural way of life. That rural way of life is not just our small communities, but I would argue all Arkansans are connected to rural Arkansas. But our leaders also are avidly involved in their communities. They offer and fund programs that feed hungry kids, impacting families all over our state. You will see how our leaders give of themselves and their resources to send many kids to college, with countless scholarships given to students to colleges all around our state. Offering the financial assistance to those students who eventually will come back to those communities and make them stronger and more productive is important. Our membership gives to the MASH camps that will help place more doctors in rural communities, improving overall health care in Arkansas. I could go on and on about the myriad of programs our county leaders are doing. I often get carried away when I talk about what our members do, that good stuff they do for their communities and our state. I repeatedly quote the late, great baseball player Dizzy Dean, who was from rural Arkansas (Logan County), who said after pitching a good game, “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.” Our folks don’t brag and really don’t want the accolades associated with their philanthropy. But they provide it quietly and effectively. They constantly step up in their communities and serve.

If by chance those of you reading this article are not a member, I would certainly invite you to become one. For $40 a year you can be part of this state-wide grassroots organization. You and your family can be part of this organization that serves the state in so many ways. Yes, the foundation of our organization is rural Arkansas are the farmers and ranchers who raise the food for millions of hungry people all over the world. But we also serve our state, in a time when that service is as important as ever, and we don’t want that to be a secret anymore. •