Over 200 Farm Bureau members from across the state attended the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) LEAP Conference led by the MFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee and MFBF Promotion & Education (P&E) Committee. This was held January 31-February 1 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji.

During the conference, attendees conducted a service project for the Bemidji Community Food Shelf which is nonprofit faith-based organization serving the Bemidji area. A variety of personal products and 749 pounds of food were donated by attendees to support their efforts. In addition, through the Minnesota Farm Bureau (MFB) Foundation, those attending raised $3,005 for the Bemidji Community Food Shelf.

“We are always proud to support a nonprofit in the communities we hold our LEAP Conferences,” said Ruth Meirick, MFB Foundation director. “Our members value giving back and love doing it together. Supporting those who may need help during difficult or challenging times is rewarding for them to do.”

Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation representing Farmers • Families • Food is comprised of 78 local Farm Bureaus across Minnesota. Members make their views known to political leaders, state government officials, special interest groups and the general public. Programs for young farmers and ranchers develop leadership skills and improve farm management. Promotion and Education Committee members work with programs such as Ag in the Classroom and safety education for children. Join Farm Bureau today and support our efforts to serve as an advocate for rural Minnesota, www.fbmn.org.

The MFB Foundation’s mission is to provide opportunities for supporters of agriculture to invest in people and programs that promote agriculture. Examples of programs funded include leadership training for farmer leaders, public outreach and education, educational resources for farmers and county Farm Bureaus and more. For more information or to donate, contact Ruth Meirick at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation at ruth.meirick@fbmn.org or 651-768-2115 or log onto www.fbmn.org.