Concentrate on Agriculture - DeKalb County Farm Bureau Connections

DeKalb County Farm Bureau recognized at AFBF Annual Convention

Each year, the American Farm Bureau Federation honors counties from across the U.S. in its County Activities of Excellence (CAE) program. DeKalb County Farm Bureau was recognized for its Farm Matching Game during the AFBF Annual Convention in early January.

DCFB’s CAE submission was titled CONCENTRATE on Agriculture. Project highlights included the unique partnership between the Farm Bureau and DeKalb County Community Foundation and how the game supports kindergarten readiness efforts.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall visited each of the County Activities of Excellence booths to learn about this year’s winning projects. Shown here are (from left to right), Anna Schelkopf, Associate Director of Information; Rhodora Collins, Ag Literacy Coordinator; Duvall; Greg Millburg, Manager; and Steve Bemis, DCFB President.

CONCENTRATE on Agriculture was one of 24 projects selected from a total of 143 entries submitted for CAE recognition. Four other projects from Illinois were also recognized.

Counties earning CAE recognition were invited to showcase their projects with information booths at the AFBF Annual Convention trade show. Many visitors to the CONCENTRATE on Agriculture booth made similar comments. “My grandkids would love this!” “What a great idea!” “Do you sell these?” “I’m an educator and these would be perfect to use with my students.”

*Grandparents, parents, educators, county and state Farm Bureau staff, and even a few children were among the folks who stopped at DCFB’s booth at the convention trade show.*

This is the fourth year the Farm Matching Game will be included in DeKalb County Community Foundation’s Kindergarten Readiness Toolkits. Each family that registers a child for kindergarten in a participating school receives a toolkit. By the end of kindergarten registration this spring, over 5,000 families will have received a readiness toolkit and Farm Matching Game.