Inside Farm Bureau: CFB works to secure agriculture's future

By Dan Durheim
California Farm Bureau Chief Operating Officer

With the start of a new year, I thought it appropriate to share my personal resolution of implementing the vision of the California Farm Bureau.

I also want to renew an old promise: The staff and board leadership are committed to securing the best possible future for California farms, ranches and farm families. It has been our mission for 106 years, and this mission will continue to drive our work in 2025 and beyond. This strategic direction is built on three foundational pillars: advocacy, on-farm business solutions, and leadership and networking opportunities. 

It’s clear to me that Farm Bureau members and staff are eager for more. As we look to the future, we must ask ourselves: What does the future look like for Farm Bureau? What is our opportunity for growth? What is the opportunity for engagement? 

Our goal is to get most of the market share of farmers, ranchers and other agriculturalists in California to belong to our organization. Imagine if 80% of the more than 63,000 agricultural operations in the state were part of Farm Bureau. The collective power and influence we could wield could drive even more impactful change. 

As we strive to secure the future, we must also honor our history and rich legacy. Our power lies within the grassroots membership and the activation of those members through the county and state Farm Bureaus. The power of grassroots efforts cannot be overstated. Our strength lies in our members and the collective power of individuals coming together to advocate for common goals. Grassroots movements are the backbone of our advocacy work. They ensure that our policies and initiatives are grounded in the real-world experiences and needs of our members. 

We are proud of the history of advocating for farmers and ranchers, and the legacy is the foundation upon which we built. However, to remain relevant and effective, we must also seek new ideas and embrace innovation. This balance between honoring our past and welcoming the future is crucial to our continued success. 

To achieve our goals, we have an opportunity to work together as counties and states to increase our operational efficiencies. By improving these efficiencies, we can deploy the right resources at the right time in the right place to achieve relevant goals of advocacy, organizational growth and strength, as well as member value and engagement. 

I’d like to dig a little deeper into the definition of these measurable goals. We describe advocacy as ensuring that our members’ voices are heard and that policies are shaped to benefit Farm Bureau members and the greater agricultural community. 

Organizational strength is defined as expanding our membership and strengthening our organizational capabilities, member value and engagement, and providing valuable programs, resources, support and opportunity for Farm Bureau members to engage and grow. 

One of our greatest strengths is our people. The staff and board leadership are among some of the best I’ve ever worked with. The state office team is amazing. Their dedication and expertise are invaluable assets that I rely on. We have an opportunity, and dare I say, even a responsibility to continue to develop this talent. 

This commitment to growth ensures that we remain strong and effective in serving farmers. Unity is a powerful theme that resonates deeply within our mission. We are stronger together than we are individually. When we unite our efforts, we amplify our impact. This unity is not just about working together; it’s about supporting each other, sharing knowledge and standing together as one community. 

As we look to the future, let us remember that our strength lies in our unity and honoring our legacy and the power of new ideas in grassroots efforts. 

Our focus of growing Farm Bureau is with and through the county Farm Bureaus. Our growth in this state is about growing together with and through the county Farm Bureaus—and ultimately collectively bringing a competitive advantage to our members. 

By working together, we can secure the best possible future for our members, farms, ranches and farm families. We can shape policies that benefit us all, implement solutions that enhance our operations and build a community that supports and uplifts each member. 

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Farm Bureau. Together, we are stronger, and together, we will achieve great things. 

(Dan Durheim is chief operating officer of the California Farm Bureau. This commentary is adapted from his speech before members at the organization’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Monterey. He may be contacted at ddurheim@cfbf.com.)