Searle Opens the Idaho Farm Bureau's 78th Annual Meeting

Fort Hall--Idaho Farm Bureau President Bryan Seale opened the Farm Bureau's 78th Annual meeting to an energetic, packed house at the Fort Hall Convention Center. 

More than 300 County Presidents and Delegates from all of Idaho's 44 Counties were in attendance for the start of the 3-day conference. 

President Searle thanked Farm Bureau volunteers for blazing for hard work and sacrifices. He said the volunteers have made a difference and have benefited Idaho Agriculture.

Searle also urged Young Farmers and Ranchers to not only stay active in Idaho's largest Agriculture organization but to leave a legacy for future generations. We spoke to President Searle after the speech:

Your message at today’s Idaho Farm Bureau Annual Meeting?

Our theme for the conference and our message is be unified in Agriculture. In order for us to accomplish anything, we have to come together to join forces and give and take at times, because we don't always get our way. But we can accomplish great things when we come together.

In Years past we have issues that have split this organization apart, and some say it has hurt us more than helped us?

We continue to feel those wounds as you go forward. That’s where again sometimes we feel like some are for it and some against it. We have to be careful how we handle those things and the positions we take. Sometimes we have to step back and just allow issues to play out.

The Bible says to love your enemies, you addressed this today in the speech?

It was written many, many years ago for us and if we abide by what we’re told then great things will happen. We continually learn those lessons.

The Farm Bureau is in its 78th year. This organization has been around since the 1930’s, where is this organization heading?

In this 78th year, we are at 78-thousand members! We’re growing more than a thousand new members a year. We’re destined to be stronger and better in the future. We have great Young Farmers and Rancher members, these strong individuals will continue to be stronger and our voice will continue to be louder.

Has the image of the Idaho Farmer has changed?

It's tough to farm without an MBA and high tech equipment. There were more of us farming back in the old days but its a business and you have to have a degree and all the high tech assets. Whether its a family operation or not, we have to treat it as a business. Do we love that? Some do, some don’t. It is what it is and in order to produce food that's, the direction farming has to go. We have to adapt to that in order to grow.

Do you think farming is cool again?

It is. To provide food and fiber to everyone throughout the world is cool. But there is a generation that doesn't care to work at some of the tasks at which we excel. I see some farms getting bigger and they’re struggling to get qualified help to do that, it is cool. There is nothing better than planting and see crops grow to harvest.