News from Madison County Farm Bureau

By Guest Columnist Joy Foy

The Madison County Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) recently hosted the annual meeting of their membership, at their office at 211 North Hargon Street. The purpose of the Federation is to promote, protect, and represent the general welfare of its members. 

MFBF is known as an advocate for farmers. They lobby state and national legislators for needed rules and regulations. Madison County Farm Bureau serves as the medium for MFBF’s interest at the local level. 

Kevin Brown, MFBF Regional Manager serving Madison County, said at the September meeting, “One of the important things that MFBF accomplishes every year is getting proposed legislation killed that would adversely affect farmers.”

Farm Bureau accomplishes many goals similar to this. For example, MFBF recently worked with the University of Nebraska (UN) to identify drought areas in Mississippi. The data had to be supplied to UN to enable farmers to qualify for benefits due to this summer’s drought. Because of the efforts of MFBF, many Mississippi counties qualified. 

Madison County was identified as a D3 drought county. This classification automatically triggers relief from the Livestock Forage Program, which entitles livestock producers to government assistance payments based on livestock inventory numbers. This aide provides payments under the USDA guidelines, available at www.fsa.usda.gov. 

You can contact Jeff Tuberville, Manager at the Madison County Farm Services Agency office (601-859-4272) for a complete application and to learn more about the program. Membership in the Madison County Farm Bureau Foundation is $35 yearly. Scholarships are available to high school seniors and college students with this membership. Other member benefits are outlined on the Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation website under the options EDUCATE and PARTICIPATE. You can also call the Madison County Farm Bureau office in Canton at 601-859-3215 and ask for Adrian Garrison to inquire about Farm Bureau programs or to ask about membership.