Two counties take home coveted Golden Buckle Award
(ARLINGTON, Texas)—Montgomery County Farm Bureau and Smith County Farm Bureau both earned the coveted Golden Buckle Award for their commitment to promoting agriculture and strengthening community ties.
The award was announced at Texas Farm Bureau’s 92nd Annual Meeting in Arlington.
It’s the first time two counties have shared the top honor since the award was established. Both counties earned perfect scores in the judging process.
The Golden Buckle Award celebrates exceptional achievements in legislative advocacy, educational outreach and member engagement.
“Both Montgomery and Smith County Farm Bureaus went above and beyond this year,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Their creativity, collaboration and commitment to serving their members and communities made a lasting impact. Having two counties recognized reflects the strength and passion of our grassroots organization.”
The county organizations led efforts to strengthen agricultural advocacy among members and within their communities. Their efforts extended to classrooms, where they shared accurate agricultural information and hands-on activities with students, fostering a greater understanding of what farmers and ranchers do.
They also focused on Young Farmer & Rancher programs and activities to connect and engage the next generation of producers.
Each county implemented new efforts to promote Farm Bureau membership and agriculture.
Montgomery County Farm Bureau hosted a YF&R Policy Summit to highlight Farm Bureau’s role in identifying and addressing policy needs, as well as connect young and beginning farmers and ranchers with established producers.
Smith County Farm Bureau sponsored the Northeast Texas Land Summit with attendees from a three-county area. This event offered a chance to connect with real estate professionals and landowners who may not have direct ties to agriculture, helping bridge the urban-rural divide.
“These counties demonstrate what grassroots leadership looks like,” Boening said. “They’re finding new ways to connect people to agriculture, engage their communities and strengthen the Farm Bureau family. Their success sets a powerful example for all of us.”
As co-winners, Montgomery and Smith County Farm Bureaus each received a $10,000 prize, and every county director will receive a custom-made belt buckle.
The first runner-up was Brazoria-Galveston County Farm Bureau. They received a $5,000 prize.
Hill County Farm Bureau was named second runner-up and received $2,500.
92nd annual meeting details
For more information about TFB’s 92nd Annual meeting, visit texasfarmbureau.org/annualmeeting.