2024 another win for Farm Bureau membership recruitment, retention

The 2024 membership year numbers have been crunched, reflecting another exceptional year of member recruitment and retention for Michigan's 65 county Farm Bureaus.

Date Posted: September 11, 2024

Jeremy C. Nagel, Michigan Farm Bureau

Thanks to the hard work, diligence and dedication of active Farm Bureau members, Michigan Farm Bureau has achieved a remarkable milestone: a fifth consecutive year of regular-membership growth, known as 'target.'

“Our county Farm Bureau leaders and volunteers should be very proud of this accomplishment,” said Laura Lunceford, manager of MFB’s Membership Development Department. “It’s been 17 years since Michigan Farm Bureau reached statewide target for five consecutive years. The hard work of our volunteers over the year maintains a strong foundation for the organization.

“Not only are our members recruiting new members; they’re providing value for that membership and getting more members involved. Our continued regular-membership growth shows the value of Farm Bureau to agriculture.”

Here are the quick numbers for the 2024 membership year (Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 31, 2024), followed by more detail below:

52 of our 65 county Farm Bureaus achieved target
Regular membership increased by 468 members statewide
171 volunteers wrote 309 new regular members
416 new members were involved in Farm Bureau programs and activities
147 volunteers and Farm Bureau Insurance agents qualified for Key Club (see below)
26 volunteers qualified for Carhartt Club (see below)
Statewide regular-member retention was 95.46%

Top Volunteer Writers

Volunteers who write the most new regular members in their district (five minimum) during the membership year receive their choice of $200 worth of Grainger vouchers, MFB Experience Michigan resort gift cards, KEY Apparel, OR theme park ticket vouchers.

The top volunteer writer statewide receives two paid spots on the annual membership trip.

By writing nine new regular members down in Monroe County, this year’s Top Volunteer Writer is Ronald Stradler. Here are the top writers in the remaining districts, in descending order:

Faith Butcher, Shiawassee County, Dist. 5 — 7
Dirk-Thomas Okkema, Mecosta County, Dist. 7 — 6
Ellen Vanderwal, Missaukee County, Dist. 9 — 6
Adam Koivisto, Charlevoix County, Dist. 11 — 6
Andrew Bahrman, Hiawathaland, Dist. 12 — 6
Thomas Piepkow, Calhoun County, Dist. 2 — 5
Betty Jo Krosnicki, St. Clair County, Dist. 6 — 5
Neil French, Bay County, Dist. 8 — 5

Top Defender & Super Defender

The county Farm Bureau in each district retaining the highest percentage of regular members throughout the membership year earns the Top Defender Award and a $100 cash prize.

The county retaining the highest percentage of regular members statewide earns the Super Defender Award and $500. This year’s Super Defender is the Chippewa County Farm Bureau, which retained a whopping 98.20% of its regular members.

Here are this year’s Top Defender Award winners, by district:

Dist. 1 — St. Joseph: 95.65%
Dist. 2 — Branch: 93.16%
Dist. 3 — Monroe: 95.43%
Dist. 4 — Allegan: 96.18%
Dist. 5 — Ingham: 96.59%
Dist. 6 — Lapeer: 96.74%
Dist. 7 — Newaygo: 96.04%
Dist. 8 — Gratiot: 94.56%
Dist. 9 — Northwest Michigan: 96.62%
Dist. 10 — Gladwin: 94.13%
Dist. 11 — Emmet: 96.69%

Prospector Award

Prospector Award recognition goes to county Farm Bureaus that sign the highest percentage of new members from their prospect list, earning a $500 award toward future membership work.

The Monroe County Farm Bureau earns this year’s Prospector Award for writing 10 new regular members from its 25-name prospect list — a muscly 40% success rate!

Other outstanding prospectors this year include:

Wayne County — 5 of 15 (33%)
Hillsdale County — 5 of 20 (25%)
Washtenaw County — 6 of 25 (24%)
Gratiot County — 3 of 25 (12%)
Osceola County — 1 of 17 (6%)
Montcalm County — 1 of 20 (5%)

Carhartt Club

Carhartt Club winners qualify for free Farm Bureau clothing by meeting either of two criteria — for a combined total of five — by the end of the campaign:

Writing new regular members during the current membership year
Renewing members written the previous membership year before their anniversary date

Here are your 2024 Carhartt Club winners, followed by their prior-year renewals, current-year new members and totals, in descending order:

Ronald Stadler, Monroe County — 3, 9, 12
Thomas Piepkow, Calhoun County — 5, 5, 10
Thomas VanWagner, Lenawee County — 8, 2, 10
Keion Jackson, Wayne County — 2, 8, 10
Kimberly Rose, Washtenaw County — 3, 4, 7
Jeffrey Schluckbier, Tuscola County — 5, 2, 7
Faith Butcher, Shiawassee County — 0, 7, 7
Stacey Cary-Jenkins, Gratiot County — 6, 1, 7
Andrew Bahrman, Hiawathaland — 0, 7, 7
Christine Idalski, Presque Isle County — 2, 4, 6
Dirk-Thomas Okkema, Mecosta County — 0, 6, 6
Delaney Pantalone, Oakland County — 3, 3, 6
Erica Drake, Washtenaw County — 1, 5, 6
Ashleigh Bryant, Isabella County — 3, 3, 6
Ellen Vanderwal, Missaukee County — 0, 6, 6
Adam Koivisto, Charlevoix County — 0, 6, 6
Katie Blashill, St. Clair County — 4, 2, 6
Andrew Fahrner, Huron County — 3, 2, 5
Lisa Kuntz, Berrien County — 2, 3, 5
Nathan McGuire, Antrim County — 3, 2, 5
Raymond Moses, Livingston County — 5, 0, 5
Lyle Young, Livingston County — 0, 5, 5
John Schut, Kent County — 2, 3, 5
Andrew Goodwin, Livingston County — 5, 0, 5
Betty Jo Krosnicki, St. Clair County — 0, 5, 5
Neil French, Bay County — 0, 5, 5

Key Club

Key Club honors volunteers and Farm Bureau Insurance agents who write five or more new regular members during the membership year. Look for them to be recognized at your county annual meeting and MFB’s State Annual in December.

The top-20 statewide are all Farm Bureau Insurance agents: