I’ve taken on many roles in my life and walked down many paths from the gravel roads of the family farm to the steps of the courthouse and statehouse, to one of the largest land grant universities in the country. And at each stop along the way, I have been blessed to work with many great individuals.

But it wasn’t until I walked through the doors of Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) as the Federation’s Executive Vice President, that I saw how truly beneficial working together can be.  

That’s not to say I did not see common ground in these other positions and other places.  However, since my tenure at KFB began, it was obvious from the beginning that this was one organization, working together for the betterment of our members, our agriculture industry, and all things Kentucky.

Long before I took over my current position, I saw the how effective Farm Bureau is, at all levels, when it comes to advocating for farm families in this state and throughout the country.  Its reputation as the Voice of Kentucky Agriculture goes beyond the fencerows to our nation’s capital.

It was experiencing firsthand the Federation and the Insurance Company working together seamlessly, in lockstep daily, that left no doubt as to why this organization is so successful and why it has endured for more than 100 years.

A big part of that success is the presence we have in all 120 Kentucky counties. There is not a corner of this state you can go to, where you won’t find KFB contributing, in some way, to our communities.   

I say all that to say this. As we have completed our summer district meetings and we begin to set our sights on introducing new policies and priorities later in the year, we have the unique ability to walk down this path as one unified organization. 

And in doing so, we have the good fortune to work collectively with other agencies and ag organizations throughout the state in our efforts to move agriculture forward, help farm families to be successful, and rural communities to grow and prosper.

At the end of the day, the commitment to our members and our ag industry continues to be strong and grows without wavering.  

The leadership of this organization will always work to ensure that commitment remains and that KFB stays true to its roots as we continue this journey of advocacy and insurance, together.

As I have shared this with you before, I am reminded of Verse 17 in the book of Proverbs. “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

As we work together, we become a stronger organization. As we share with one another, we can appreciate each other even more. As we walk collectively down our everyday paths, our journey will be more joyful and successful in achieving our goals as an organization and as an industry that supports all of us.

I pray that the remainder of our growing season proves to provide a bountiful harvest not only in the field but in all we do.

Drew Graham, Executive Vice President
Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation