County Farm Bureaus boost membership in 2019
(SAN ANTONIO, Texas)—County Farm Bureaus across Texas were recognized for membership achievements during Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) 86th Annual Meeting Dec. 8 in San Antonio.
“From small towns to big cities and everywhere in between, Texas Farm Bureau members come together to directly shape and influence our policies and activities in Austin and Washington, D.C.,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Without our members, we wouldn’t—and couldn’t—be the Voice of Texas Agriculture.”
TFB membership rose 2,994 for a total of 529,871 member-families. Out of 205 organized county Farm Bureaus across Texas, 143 counties gained members during the year, and a statewide retention rate of 88.71 percent was achieved.
The top 10 county Farm Bureaus that gained the most new members are: Brazoria-Galveston County, 1,891; Collin County, 1,852; McLennan County, 1,564; Fort Bend County, 1,297; Ellis County, 1,174; Bell County, 1,050; Grayson County, 1,035; Harris County, 1,007; Kaufman County, 961; and Johnson County, 928.
County Farm Bureaus reporting the largest total membership gain include: McLennan County, 714; Gregg County, 437; Smith County, 344; Lamar County, 331; Grayson County, 286; Johnson County, 263; Bowie County, 227; Henderson County, 221; Wilson County, 210; and Kaufman County, 208.
The highest membership renewal percentages were achieved by the following: Fisher County, 94.96 percent; San Saba County, 94.33 percent; Llano County, 94.02 percent; Cottle-King County, 94.01 percent; Kimble County, 93.84 percent; Lipscomb County, 93.65 percent; Collingsworth County, 93.27 percent; Motley County, 93.19 percent; Hardeman County, 93.11 percent; and Sherman County, 93.02 percent.
County Farm Bureaus with the largest membership include the following: Collin County, 13,373; Brazoria-Galveston County, 12,840; Fort Bend County, 11,016; Jefferson County, 9,471; McLennan County, 9,281; Ellis County, 8,847; Harris County, 7,840; Bell County, 7,646; Bexar County, 7,434 and Kaufman County, 6,873.
County Farm Bureaus with the longest continuous gain in membership include: DeWitt County, 70 years; Franklin County, 39 years; Henderson County, 30 years; and the following were recognized for 28 years: Atascosa County, Bell County, Comal County, Gillespie County, Hill County, Medina County, Navarro County and Tyler County.
“We’re proud to say we’ve been growing for 19 years and counting, and we look forward to another great year advocating for agriculture on the local, state and national levels,” Boening said.