Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is in the process of creating a new strategic plan — the objectives that will guide the organization over the next several years. And they’ve got more voices to include in it after reaching a recent membership record.
CAO Bradley Uken has been serving WFBF for about two years after a two-decade career in the Illinois Farm Bureau. Before we talk about how strategic planning is coming along, I have him reflect on some of the big achievements he thinks the Wisconsin Farm Bureau has made in the past few years. It includes a membership record.
“One of the biggest accomplishments we had was we surpassed 51,000 Farm Bureau members, which was the first time in 35 years that we surpassed that number,” Uken says. “And then to top that off, we saw growth by every county Farm Bureau in the state of Wisconsin.”
These membership voices have drawn up a few key themes to be included in WFBF’s priority list moving forward, including WFBF’s new strategic plan. Uken says the goal is to have the strategic plan presented to the board of directors by April.
“Between now and then, there’s going to be ample opportunities for members to share their opinions,” Uken says.
When asked what themes he’s hearing from members about what to prioritize in the strategic plan, he says it has come down to stronger communication between the organization and its members, consumer education, and business support.