EXTENSION

Money Saving Benefits Are Always in Season

For complete details, visit wfbf.com/membership/member-benefits.

Farm Bureau members who are agricultural producers and patrons of their local FS cooperative are eligible to receive patronage when patronage is paid.

Members receive an incentive discount ($300 to $500) when purchasing qualifying Case IH equipment from participating dealers.

Rural Mutual Insurance Company To find a Rural Mutual Insurance Company agent, visit ruralmutual.com or call 877.219.9550. Save up to 80% on Office Depot Preferred Products along with reduced prices on ink, paper, toner, stamps/daters, pens, pads, furniture and much more.

Members qualify for a variety of discounts on new purchases. Visit wfbf.com to print your certificate and for details on models and discounts. "With the Farm Bureau member discount, we purchased two skid loaders and saved an additional $1,000, which made the deal even sweeter." - John Piechowski, Waushara County Farm Bureau member

Farm Bureau members receive $500 bonus cash off the purchase or lease of an eligible new Ford vehicle and $750 bonus cash off the purchase or lease of an eligible new Lincoln vehicle. Must be a member for 30 days. Visit fordfarmbureauadvantage.com/Login/Login for complete details or to print your certificate.

Through an exclusive program offered by Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, Farm Bureau members receive a factory direct rebate of $250* on the purchase of a new *Yamaha 4WD ATV, Side-by-Side or Snowmobile. Fill out the rebate form at bit.ly/3inykme. You need your Farm Bureau member number to complete the form. *You must be a paid Wisconsin Farm Bureau member at time of purchase to receive the $250 rebate. Members are eligible for a complimentary John Deere Rewards upgrade (Platinum 2 status) – which unlocks the best loyalty rewards including valuable equipment discounts. Visit JohnDeere.com/FarmBureau today to register!

Take advantage of Farm Bureau Bank's FDIC-insured checking, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, credit cards and vehicle and home loans. Visit farmbureau.bank.

You can get more information about the services Farm Bureau Financial offers from your local Rural Insurance agent. Learn more at fbfs.com.

Accidental Death Policy • AgriVisor • Life Line Screening • Avis • Budget • ScriptSave • $500 Reward Protection Program Choice Hotels • AgriPlan Medical Reimbursement Program • Office Depot • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts • Grainger Visit wfbf.com to find out more about your membership benefits! *WFBF member benefits may be changed or discontinued at anytime without notice.*

MEMBERSHIP

Member Saves with Insight FS

Long-time Waukesha County Farm Bureau President Tom Oberhaus and his wife Joan own a diversified 75-cow, 225-acre family farm near Waukesha. They have a LLC partnership with their son Charlie and a neighbor Dan Gerrits.

In addition to milking Registered Brown Swiss and Guernsey cattle, the family direct markets pumpkins and Christmas trees.

One of the benefits of joining Farm Bureau is that members who are agricultural producers and patrons of their local FS cooperative are eligible to receive patronage when patronage is paid. Insight FS values the relationship with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation going back to the days when Farm Bureau first helped form these cooperatives. "We have always purchased a majority of our inputs from Insight FS," said Oberhaus.

Back when he started farming, Oberhaus was encouraged to join Farm Bureau by his father-in-law Jim Wendt and former Waukesha County Farm Bureau president Bob Bartholomew. Soon after joining, he became the Young Farmer chair and now serves as county president. "We've benefited by a receiving patronage dividend whenever it has been distributed," added Oberhaus.

Oberhaus and his family work with Parker Ludeking who works in the Mapleton FS office for the farm's cropping inputs and consulting needs. "We work closely with Tom and the team at Cozy Nook yearround to produce the highest quality feed stocks with alfalfa and corn silage," said Parker Ludeking, crop specialist at Insight FS. "In the winter, our teams work together to ensure the correct hybrid is selected for the field and for Tom's dairy farm. We look at fields throughout the growing season and evaluate ways to maximize efficiencies from start to finish. Walking fields and grabbing samples ensures that we get the best crop for Tom's operation and spend each opportunity learning more about what works to increase return on investment year after year." Megan Carey who works in the Ixonia FS office assists the Oberhaus with the cattle's feed needs. "I've worked with Tom for five years as his feed service provider. We've worked closely to ensure his animals are fed and well taken care of throughout the year and performing at their best. Tom is not afraid to use new products or change methods on his farm to increase efficiencies and we have a great partnership on the farm," said Megan Carey, Insight FS dairy feed specialist.

In profitable years, Insight FS pays a patronage dividend to agricultural patrons based on their purchases during the previous fiscal year, which runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31.

(from left): Tom, Joan and Charlie Oberhaus.

Whether the cooperative pays a dividend in any given year is determined by the Insight Board of Directors.

The dividend is paid based on purchases patrons have made in particular departments – whichever ones had a profitable year, for example seed, fertilizer, petroleum, livestock feed, etc.

The level of the dividend is also determined each year by the board, again based on profitability in each product line. "The greater your purchases, the greater your potential patronage dividend," said Bob Leege, WFBF executive director of member relations. "For some patrons, the dividend may be less than $100, while for others it may be a few thousand dollars. But the dividend is only paid to those with a current Farm Bureau membership, so it is well worth it to spend $55 for a membership if you may get that amount back several times over." "FS is a full-service cooperative that nicely meets many of our needs," added Oberhaus.

Insight FS General Manager Dave Mottet said that Tom is an astute businessman and valued member on the Insight FS Board. "Tom has been on our Board of Directors since 1995. He's seen us through more than one name change and has always been a very open and forthcoming member of the board," said Mottet. "We look to Tom to provide us with a fair assessment of how we perform in the marketplace and address the areas of need and expectations of our patrons."

By being a Wisconsin Farm Bureau member, you qualify for benefits and services that provide a range of options that respond to the needs of farmers, families and businesses in Wisconsin.

For more information, visit wfbf.com/membership/memberbenefits.

Mike Strupp

Washington County

Who signed you up as a member? Rural Mutual Insurance agent Dan Borcharding, 27 years ago. What did they say about Farm Bureau when they asked you? Farm Bureau is a proactive organization and the largest farm organization in Wisconsin that is active on county, state and national levels. What convinced you to say yes? Knowledge of the insurance agents. What has been the biggest benefit that you have realized from your membership? Vehicle rebate, car rental and hotel discounts.

Ken Harter

Oconto County

Who signed you up as a member?Bill LaBrasse, Rural Mutual Insurance agent. What did they say about Farm Bureau when they asked you? Didn't take much. My parents were members in Langlade County. What convinced you to say yes? I wanted to buy insurance. What has been the biggest benefit that you have realized from your membership? I wasn't active until the past few years after my retirement from UW-Extension. I have been interested in working on policy and with the county Farm Bureau. W isconsin Farm Bureau is wrapping up its current membership campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to engage as many volunteers as possible in the 2019-2020 membership year by asking them to pledge to contact at least one person they know and sign them up as a new Farm Bureau member. The campaign officially kicked off in October.

Angela Schultz

Shawano County

Who signed you up as a member? Rural Mutual Insurance. What did they say about Farm Bureau when they asked you? That the Farm Bureau was a great way to be involved in the county and state and that we should join the YFA. What convinced you to say yes? We joined the YFA a few years later because Steve and Stacy Van Der Lindin told us how fun it was. We went to a few farm tours and get-togethers and were hooked. What has been the biggest benefit that you have realized from your membership? The great people you meet, the new things we have learned and the great opportunities we have gotten to do and be a part of.

Arch Morton, JR

Rock County

Who signed you up as a member? My Rural Mutual Insurance agent, who is a friend. What did they say about Farm Bureau when they asked you? That it

is an organization that does a lot for farmers. What convinced you to say yes? Farm Bureau sounded like something that I wanted to be a part of. What has been the biggest benefit that you have realized from your membership? The many people who I have become friends with by getting involved with Farm Bureau, and the things that we have accomplished together.