Policy

The Washington Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee is preparing for its two 2008 policy meetings (May 22 and in October) in preparation for the 89th Annual Meeting of the Washington Farm Bureau in Wenatchee, Nov. 17-20, 2008. 

The first meeting of the WFB Policy Development Committee is on Thursday, May 22, in Yakima, from 10 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. in the Cascades Room of the Hilton Garden Inn (401 E. Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98901, (509) 454-1111). 

Directions:  From I-82 East: Take Exit 33B for Yakima Avenue and get into the right lane marked Yakima Avenue. At the stop light, turn right onto Yakima Avenue and the hotel will be located 6 blocks ahead on the right hand side. From I-82 West: Take Exit 33 to Yakima Avenue. After the overpass, merge into the center lane of Yakima Avenue. The hotel will be located 6 blocks ahead on your right.

A continental breakfast will be available beginning at 9 a.m., and a lunch buffet will be served at Noon for all attendees, courtesy of the Washington Farm Bureau.  Please RSVP to Margaret Warren at 1-800-331-3276 or by fax at 360-357-9939. 

An electronic policy resolution form is available, along with a general information backgrounder on the WFB policy development process.

Copies of the 2008 WFB Policy Book and the 2008 AFBF Policy Book are now available.  Farm Bureau members can receive a printed or electronic copy of the Washington Farm Bureau or the American Farm Bureau Federation policy book by contacting Gary Joiner, WFB director of Organization, at (800) 331-3276.  Electronic copies of the policy books can be sent via e-mail as a pdf file.  A CD containing the two pdf files can also be mailed.

Policy Development 

The Washington Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization comprised of 25 county Farm Bureaus, each with a policy development committee.

Farm Bureau members surface policy issues and work through their county Farm Bureau policy development committee or with a Washington Farm Bureau advisory committee in drafting resolution language. The county Farm Bureau board of directors or the appropriate Washington Farm Bureau advisory committee then considers the resolution. If approved, the resolution is submitted to the state Policy Development Committee for review.

Policy resolutions approved by the state Policy Development Committee are forwarded to voting delegates at the Washington Farm Bureau annual meeting in November for consideration. State policy resolutions adopted by the voting delegates become organizational policy for the following year. National policy resolutions adopted by the voting delegates are submitted to the American Farm Bureau Federation for review and consideration.

For information about the American Farm Bureau Federation policy development process, go to www.fb.org

For information about policy development, contact Gary Joiner, WFB director of Organization, at (800) 331-3276.