Springtime always offers renewed hope for those of us on the farm.

It's hard to believe that March is already here, but with it comes the beginning of spring, something we, as farm families, look forward to every year.

While the ag industry has faced many challenges over the past few years, springtime always offers renewed hope for those of us on the farm. No matter what the previous year has brought, we are optimistic for a good growing season, acceptable market conditions, and a bountiful harvest.

Whether we are raising crops or livestock, our love for the farm and the hope of a new season is in our blood and our very DNA.

But we have stayed busy on the farm throughout the winter season. There is always work to do, regardless of what season we are experiencing. The same can be said about our Farm Bureau activities.

The year kicked off with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Convention. Next, we celebrated our insurance company at its annual sales conference. Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Presidents and Vice Presidents Conference came next with a capacity crowd of local leaders attending.

And a very special guest attended this year’s National Farm Machinery Show. On the heels of her confirmation, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins made Kentucky her first state visit after taking on her new role. Secretary Rollins also met with KFB members the following day at Gallrein Farms in Shelby County. We appreciate her visit and concern for our farm families and look forward to working with her.

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell helped to secure her visit and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his efforts.

Needless to say, it has already been a busy year on and off the farm. Much like our farming duties, our advocacy efforts never end. We have been very involved as an organization with legislative matters as the state’s General Assembly session draws to an end, and our Congressional members continue their work on countless issues, many of which have a direct connection to the agriculture industry.

More than 300 of our members recently returned from Washington D.C. as we wrapped up our annual Congressional Tour. We met with Kentucky’s delegation, held the annual question and answer session with U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, and received detailed briefings from American Farm Bureau Federation staff.

As much of an honor as it is for me to represent KFB during all these events and at so many levels, as a farmer I can’t wait to be back in the field planting our crops and looking forward to a successful growing season.

For me, there is no more important occupation than to be stewards of the land, producers of our food, and caretakers of our farm animals. Every person depends on our efforts—and while that can prove to come with a lot of pressure for the many farm families across this state—there's nothing else we’d rather do and no other place we'd rather be than on our farms.

Here’s to March, the beginning of spring, another hopeful growing season, and a successful year of advocacy.

Eddie Melton, President
Kentucky Farm Bureau