Montgomery County Farm Bureau wins Golden Buckle Award

(FRISCO, Texas)—Passion for agricultural advocacy, dedication to the community and a growing membership earned Montgomery County Farm Bureau one of the most coveted awards given by Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).

The group received the 2023 Golden Buckle Award at TFB’s 90th Annual Meeting in Frisco.

It took the county organization working together to win the recognition.

Throughout the year, Montgomery County Farm Bureau hosted community activities, educational events and engaged with consumers and state and national elected officials to earn points toward the award.

“The Golden Buckle Award recognizes the county that excels in agricultural promotion, membership growth and Farm Bureau involvement,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Montgomery County Farm Bureau won the inaugural award for their strategic planning, innovative programming and community partnerships. They worked all year on behalf of Farm Bureau and Texas agriculture.”

Montgomery County Farm Bureau leaders met with their state and national representatives to discuss issues important to not only farmers and ranchers, but also the area as a whole.

They traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the TFB National Affairs Awards Trip, walking the halls and being the voice of Texas agriculture. They visited with state lawmakers during the legislative session and promoted Proposition 1 through an educational session, local advertisements and voting day signage.

But they did more than talk agricultural policy.

They also sponsored activities locally for young farmers and ranchers and promoted youth activities. They even created two new contests—the Youth Discussion Meet and Public Speaking Contest—to help youth develop communication skills and knowledge about agriculture.

Montgomery County Farm Bureau hosted events to connect community members with agriculture and farmers and ranchers.

They demonstrated commitment to membership by marking 25 years of continuous membership growth in the county.

“Receiving this prestigious award is recognition for Montgomery County Farm Bureau’s passion and dedication to agriculture and teamwork to get the job done,” Boening said.

As the winner, Montgomery County Farm Bureau received a $10,000 prize, and each county director will receive a custom-made belt buckle.

The first runner up was Lampasas County Farm Bureau. They received a $5,000 prize.

As the second runner-up, Smith County Farm Bureau received $2,500.

Information on the 2024 Golden Buckle Awards Program will be available in January.