County Farm Bureau boards across Ohio are accepting nominations, and if you’ve ever considered becoming more involved in agriculture advocacy, I encourage you to take a serious look at serving.

Being a County Farm Bureau board member is both a privilege and an honor.

It is an opportunity to have a seat at the table where important conversations about the future of agriculture are taking place. It is an opportunity to bring forward the concerns you hear from your neighbors, your community and your industry, and work together to find solutions.

Many people see Farm Bureau through the lens of events, educational programs, scholarships or community outreach. While those things are important, serving on a County Farm Bureau board is so much more than planning activities.

Serving on a board means sharing your perspective while listening to others. It means learning about issues impacting agriculture at the local, state and national levels. It means understanding that even if an issue doesn’t directly affect your operation, it may be having a tremendous impact on another farmer somewhere else in Ohio — or across the country.

It means recognizing that both small and large farms matter. It means recognizing that dairy, grain, livestock, specialty crop and agribusiness operations all have unique challenges and deserve representation.

It means understanding that the needs of a farmer in one county may be different than the needs of a farmer hundreds of miles away, but that agriculture is strongest when we stand together.

Farm Bureau is a true grassroots organization. Policies begin with members. Ideas come from members. Solutions come from members. The policies developed around board tables today often become the foundation for legislative priorities tomorrow. Those priorities can eventually become laws and regulations that help farmers continue producing the food, fiber and fuel our country depends on.

That process only works when people are willing to get involved.

Today, farmers make up roughly 2% of the population. Think about that for a moment. Just 2%. Yet every day, decisions are being made that impact agriculture. That’s why our voice matters. That’s why participation matters. And that’s why we need farmers, agribusiness professionals and agriculture advocates willing to step forward and serve.

The challenges facing agriculture aren’t getting smaller. New issues continue to emerge, and sometimes it feels like the punches just keep coming. But imagine what agriculture would look like if organizations like Farm Bureau didn’t exist. Imagine if farmers and agribusiness owners stopped showing up, stopped participating and stopped advocating for the industry they love.

Who would be left to tell agriculture’s story? Who would be left to protect our ability to farm? Who would be left to ensure the next generation has the opportunity to do the same?

The future of agriculture depends on people who are willing to be part of the conversation, part of the solution and part of the leadership.

If you’ve ever thought about serving, now is the time. Agriculture needs your voice.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” — Margaret Mead

If you are interested in getting more involved with Farm Bureau visit our website at www.trumbullfb.org and view the article, “Your Voice Matters,” or call / text me at 440-812-670.

Orahood is the organization director for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, serving Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties.