July 14, 2020

Podcasting from the road

Topic: Leadership

July 14, 2020: County annual meeting season is underway. These meetings are the heart and soul of our NDFB policy development process.

Download and listen to County Annual Meeting Time mp3.

Read the transcript:

Well, it’s middle of summer. And that means NDFB’s county leaders are starting to plan and having their county annual meetings. This is the first step in our policy development process. This is where the initial policies that we’ll see in November at our annual state meeting will originate from these summer and fall activities in each county.

You know, ideas come from individuals that are members. They’re brought to their county at these annual meetings. They’re discussed, they’re debated, they’re changed, they’re amended, and they are passed on to the district and from the district to the state level, where we debate ‘em again! And we get our final policies and our direction for the following year, at NDFB.

Today, as I speak to you here, I’m pulled over alongside the road looking at canola fields, looking at wheat fields, on my way to Bottineau County for their annual meeting. You know it’s one of those years where you go, “How can we do this?” “Should we do this?” “Is it possible?” And as I’ve been telling counties and our district directors have been telling counties and our staff, “If there is way we can help you accomplish it in a way that you feel you can, we’re here to help you.”

You know, life has to go on during these times. We have to do the business of our organization. We have to advocate on behalf of our great farmers and ranchers that are members of NDFB. Because not only do we have to tell that story locally and at the state level, but we have to tell it nationally and internationally. And our policy development process is second to none. There’s no other organization out there that has this true, grassroots policy development process.

At NDFB we’re proud of our leaders across the counties, for figuring out how we can do the policy process, how we can work on our advocacy even in these challenging and confusing times that we’re in.

We’re going to get through, folks, and it’s a pleasure to be on my way to meet with the great members of Bottineau County Farm Bureau, and it’s going to be awesome to meet with members across this state through this whole policy development process, which starts right at the county level.

From NDFB, we wish everyone a successful summer and a great fall as we move that direction. Be safe. Still a lot of field work going on. Spraying. Haying. And it gets busier from here on out. So pay attention when you’re driving on the roadways. Enjoy those beautiful views that I have here of this canola field right now and as farmers and ranchers, pay attention for those friends of ours that come out to the country and enjoy what we get to see every day.