Oklahoma Farm Bureau embarked upon the development of a strategic action plan to provide clarity, direction and focus to allow our organization to serve the needs of Oklahomans well into the future.
In 2019, the strategic planning committee met at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau home office in Oklahoma City to assess our organization’s progress and place in the agriculture community and in Oklahoma. With guidance from American Farm Bureau staff, the committee developed a mission statement, a vision statement, core values, goal areas, and specific goals and objectives to form this strategic plan. The OKFB Board of Directors adopted the plan in October 2019.
This plan serves as a blueprint to guide the activities, programs and efforts of Oklahoma Farm Bureau as our organization rises to meet the changing needs of agriculture, our rural communities, our state, our nation and our world.
This report includes the strategic plan in its entirety, including our mission statement, our vision statement, core values, goal areas, and finally, specific goals and objectives for each goal area.
Our mission
Our vision
To be the champion for excellence and prosperity in the agriculture community through advocacy, education and policy development.
Core Values
Goal Areas
Each goal area is accompanied by action statements to guide the work of our organization within that goal area. Specific objectives are listed within each area to focus the activities and programs of Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
Grow and engage membership
Provide opportunities for all aspects of the agriculture community through Farm Bureau activities and programs.
- Support and participate in county and district meetings
- Develop a contact list and provide support to programs (iMIS)
- Provide local boards with effective tools and strategies for recruitment and organize county YF&R groups
- Target specific groups (women, farmers markets, young farmers, ag teachers, 4-H and FFA members)
- Use local Farm Bureau office members to recruit at farm shows
- Cosponsor events with other organizations
Leadership Development
Cultivate and develop proactive leaders by training, mentoring and empowering current and future generations.
- Each state and county board member should be encouraged to attend leadership training once every three years
- OKFB should develop a new leadership training program for potential county board members, women and young farmers, encouraging more participation
- Encourage OKFB and counties to work with local colleges and universities to develop mentoring programs for ag students
- Encourage staff and members to be involved with the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program
- Continue to support current youth programs
- Involve more diverse ag partners in leadership activities
Financial Solvency
Practice responsible management of existing resources, identifying and developing new sources of income.
- Continue and increase board training to allow boards to better understand financial reports and maintain good financial data to know current financial status
- Continue to search for new sources of income
- Continue active budgeting at the state level
- Develop partnerships with organizations to cost share program activities
- Encourage counties to build and monitor budgets to actual income and expenses and make adjustments to budgets at least quarterly
- Inform/train boards and county staff about voluntary dues (potentially by field representative visits)
- Promote services that are available through the home office to county boards
Strategic Alliances
Identify and communicate with individuals and organizations that have shared policy objectives or professional goals.
- Invite like-minded organizations’ leadership to convention and send our leadership/membership to other organizations’ meetings
- Communicate and coordinate with other agricultural groups on issues
- Work with non-ag groups to create strategic partnerships
Communication
Use all forms of communication to share the importance of Farm Bureau and agriculture with members and non-members.
- Inform members about pertinent issues utilizing all forms of communication
- Utilize all forms of communication, including social media, to educate the public about agriculture issues
- Develop direct-contact system for rapid communication with membership
- Develop good contacts with media
- Develop robust membership database that identifies membership interests, leadership experience and media availability
- Provide communications training for Farm Bureau leaders
Policy & Advocacy
Develop and implement grassroots policy through advocacy and education while communicating our policy to the public as well as to local, state and national leaders.
- Develop online resources to inform membership and leadership on policy issues
- Set dates as early as possible for all membership events
- Work with communication department to keep membership informed
- Provide timely legislative updates to all county board members
- Produce Lincoln to Local and video content
- Encourage counties and state to host more local farm visits for legislators and stakeholders
The committee
The following Oklahoma Farm Bureau members graciously dedicated their time to serve on the strategic planning committee:
- Mignon Bolay – Noble County, OKFB WLC Chair
- Brent Bolen – McCurtain County
- Chad Budy – Woods County
- Jordan Cook – Washita County
- Gary Crawley – Pittsburg County, OKFB State Director
- John Grundmann – Pottawatomie County, OKFB State Director
- Brent Haken – Payne County, 2019 OKFB YF&R Chair
- Jimmy Wayne Kinder – Cotton County, OKFB State Director
- Greg Leonard – Ottawa County
- Jim Meek – Okmulgee County, OKFB State Director
- Rodd Moesel – Canadian County, OKFB President
- Leon Richards – Texas County
- Charles Rohla – Pontotoc County
- David VonTungeln – Canadian County, OKFB State Director
- Thad Doye – OKFB Executive Director
A report of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Strategic Planning Committee as adopted by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
