Mercer Farm Bureau Honored At State Meeting
Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney, Megan DeHart of the Mercer County Farm Bureau, Federation Executive Vice President Drew Graham and Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance CEO and Executive Vice President John Sparrow.
Mercer County Farm Bureau received three awards at the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in Louisville.
Mercer Farm Bureau was one of five recipients of the County Activities of Excellence award, which honors innovative county level initiatives that meet the overall goals of the organization. The program also encourages members to share their ideas with others who may benefit or be able to replicate a successful program in their own county.
Mercer Farm Bureau was recognized for conducting a public relations campaign to teach the community where their food originates and to dispel many of the misconceptions about farmers. The campaign’s theme was “If you ate today, please thank a farm family.” It was displayed for a month on two billboards featuring two farm families. Mercer County also ran a weekly Facebook campaign for three months highlighting local women in agriculture.
Mercer Farm Bureau also finished third in the County Information Awards competition. Beth Kelly, information chair of Mercer Farm Bureau, was presented with the plaque and cash award given for the variety of effective public relations programs coordinated over the last year.
Vicki Bryant, chair of the Kentucky Farm Bureau State Women’s Committee, presents the 2019 Gold Star Award of Excellence to Megan DeHart of the Mercer County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
The County Information Awards recognize the best programs for member information and media relations performed at the local level. Criteria for winning entries includes developing a plan for regular communication with the county’s membership, securing news stories by local media outlets that emphasize issues important to both Farm Bureau and agriculture, hosting a media appreciation event, keeping website content updated, and promoting community relations programs.
Mercer County Farm Bureau received the 2019 Gold Star Award of Excellence during Kentucky Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in Louisville. The award honors county Women’s Committees for active participation in leadership development programs, agricultural promotion, educational initiatives and numerous other aspects of support to the local Farm Bureau.
The Kentucky Farm Bureau, with more than 462,000 member families statewide, is the state’s largest general farm organization. Approximately 2,000 members attended the bureau’s 100th annual meeting in Louisville, Dec. 4–7, to recognize this year’s individual and organizational achievements and adopt policy for 2020.
For more, visit KYFBNewsroom.com.
