A Message from WFBF’s Brad Olson
How often have you been asked to step up?
Maybe it was to volunteer for a Farm Bureau event, committee or membership recruitment. You might have declined thinking someone else could probably handle it.
Maybe you were asked to serve on a local board, county committee, school board, church leadership or consider state-level representation. You might have paused, contemplating if the time you would give would even matter.
Maybe you have been encouraged to call an elected official but hesitated, wondering, “Does my voice really make a difference?”
As travel the state and country there is one thing that is a constant conversation. The point of conversation is county-level impact. At the local level is truly where everything happens and why Farm Bureau is structured the way it is: a bottom-up organization.
The answer to all those above scenarios is that your Farm Bureau involvement matters. Your time is appreciated and important. And last but not least — your voice matters.
All parts of advocacy are important at the local level but especially the government.
We need farmers and advocates like you to speak up on local and county issues. Find a way that you can get involved whether it’s by writing letters or attending meetings. A simple phone call to an elected official, or a local board member, can make a bigger impact than you may realize. This is the only way elected officials know what is important to you and your community is from hearing from you.
When it comes to state and federal legislation, your outreach is just as crucial. Some may think that speaking with a staffer instead of a legislator doesn’t count, but it does. Those staff relay those messages directly to their boss—the legislator.
It is said that just ten calls to a state legislator can be enough to grab their attention. Those ten calls don’t happen without someone making the first one, and that someone could be you. Your voice matters. Take a moment to think about the impact we can have as the largest general farm organization in the state.
Maybe government or policy isn’t your favorite. I promise you can lean into your advocacy efforts in other ways through Farm Bureau.
Studies show agriculture has approximately a 68% trust factor with the public. That is a high number when we make up less than 2% of the total population. We have more trust than almost any industry so we must use our voices to maintain that trust and protect our way of life.
There are challenges across the state that are unique to each of our communities but with those challenges come opportunities to step up and be an advocate for agriculture. Who better to share the story of farming than those who live it every day? That is why we need you, your knowledge, your passion and your commitment, to be a part of these conversations. By showing up at meetings, engaging in discussions and standing up for agriculture, you play a vital role in ensuring its success.
Your voice is powerful and together we can make a difference. Advocacy is strongest when we work as one, speaking up at every level of government to protect and advance the future of farming.
Olson was first elected President of Wisconsin Farm Bureau in 2023. He is a crop farmer near Frederic in Polk County. This article originally appeared in the 2025 April | May Rural Route.
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