Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) Connecting Communities initiative is being recognized nationally.
This week, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) recognized winners of the New Horizon Award, which includes Delaware in Group 1, New York in Group 2, Minnesota in Group 3, South Carolina in Group 4, Michigan in Group 5, and Texas in Group 6.
Initiated by MFB’s State Promotion & Education Committee, MFB’s Connecting Communities initiative encourages county Farm Bureaus to meet consumers where they are and build local relationships.
This includes equipping 59 county Farm Bureaus with $1,000 grants, resources, and templates to engage directly with consumers. In a year, the program’s reached 45,949 adults and 61,451 youth consumers via activities like tire recycling events, workshops, and, among other options, farm tours.
"The Connecting Communities project started with the State Promotion & Education Committee recognizing a need for our members to engage more with consumers in their own communities. Through state funded grants, counties leveraged their creativity and often added some of their own resources to consumer outreach projects," said Tonia Ritter, manager of MFB's Promotion & Education department.
"It was exciting to see the majority of county Farm Bureaus engage and use the funding and shared ideas to try something new or level-up an existing project."
In addition to being recognized on stage during a General Session, AFBF winners will also have the chance to present their award-winning programs on the Cultivation Center Stage at the AFBF Convention in Anaheim, California, Jan. 9-14, 2026.
