Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

What Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation does

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) is a private, non-profit, member-driven agricultural advocacy organization founded in 1919 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It is the largest general farm organization in the state, operating through a grassroots structure of 61 county Farm Bureaus and serving over 50,000 farmer and rural-community members. Its mission centers on four pillars: legislative representation, education, public relations, and leadership development for farms of all sizes, commodities, and management styles.

The organization's core "product" is its membership program, delivered through an online portal (wi.fbiris.com) and mobile app, which provides exclusive benefits, discounts, and access to a layered set of programs. These include Ag in the Classroom (reaching 171,000 students), the Young Farmer and Agriculturist program (including the 35 Under 35 award), the year-long Leadership Institute (with 200+ graduates), Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at UW-Madison, UW-Platteville, and UW-River Falls, the Farm Neighbors Care mental-health campaign, the Leaders of the Land® sustainability initiative, the Marketbasket food-price survey, and the Gather Wisconsin consumer website (reaching 400,000 consumers). Advocacy is delivered through the Volunteers for Agriculture® political action committee and the "I Farm. I Vote." civic-engagement campaign.

WFBF monetizes through recurring membership dues, donations to its affiliated 501(c)(3) Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation (established 1988), and program sponsorships and grants from partners such as the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, Insight FS, the Green Bay Packers Foundation, and the Federated Youth Foundation. A newer recurring-revenue product, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Health Plans, extends member benefits into group health insurance. Reporting and financial filings are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

Legal name

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

Website

https://wfbf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is a private, non-profit farm organization founded in 1919 that serves 50,000+ Wisconsin farmers and rural members through 61 county Farm Bureaus, delivering legislative advocacy, member benefits, leadership development, and agricultural-education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Advocacy and Farm Membership Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory (AFACAJAF)

Keywords

• Agricultural advocacy
• Farm membership organization
• Rural leadership development
• Agricultural education programs
• Farm policy representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Revenue generated from membership dues paid by farmers and rural community members. Membership provides access to benefits, services, discounts, and exclusive programs.
2. Donations and Contributions: The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation accepts donations from individuals, county Farm Bureaus, businesses, and organizations. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that supports agricultural and leadership programs.
3. Sponsorships and Grants: Funding received from sponsors such as Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, Insight FS, Green Bay Packers Foundation, and Federated Youth Foundation to support specific programs.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is a non-profit membership organization that provides agricultural advocacy, legislative representation, education, leadership development, and member benefit services to Wisconsin farmers. It operates through a grassroots network of 61 county Farm Bureaus and serves more than 50,000 members across the state. Its offering includes lobbying on farm policy, programs such as Ag in the Classroom and the Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Health Plans, and grant-making through the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation.

Product overview

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation operates as a membership-based organization offering a unified platform of programs and services. The core product is its membership program, which provides access to legislative representation, member benefits, and exclusive discounts through a private member portal and mobile app. Supporting programs include agricultural literacy (Ag in the Classroom, Gather Wisconsin), leadership development (Leadership Institute, Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program, Collegiate Farm Bureaus), and community engagement (Promotion and Engagement, Farm Neighbors Care, Sustainability Initiatives). Advocacy tools include the I Farm. I Vote. campaign and the Volunteers for Agriculture® political action committee. Research and consumer resources include the Marketbasket Survey and Gather Wisconsin website. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation provides fundraising and grant support for these programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gather Wisconsin: Online consumer resource connecting food, farming and families, helping consumers learn about their food and local Wisconsin brands.
• Volunteers for Agriculture
• Farm Neighbors Care
• Leaders of the Land
• I Farm. I Vote.

Products and services

• Wisconsin Farm Bureau Membership Annual membership in Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, providing Wisconsin farmers and rural residents with voting representation in policy development, access to member benefits, programs, and a network of 61 county Farm Bureaus.
• Wisconsin Farm Bureau Health Plans Member-benefit health insurance offering affiliated with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, available to qualifying members and their households.
• Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation Affiliated non-profit foundation funding scholarships, agricultural literacy programs, and hunger relief initiatives for Wisconsin farming communities.
• Ag in the Classroom Educational program that provides Wisconsin teachers and students with curricula, training, and resources to learn about agriculture, food, and farming.
• Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program Membership program for young Wisconsin farmers and agriculturists that provides networking, contests, leadership development, and travel opportunities.
• Leadership Institute Multi-level leadership development program that trains Farm Bureau members in agricultural advocacy, communications, and organizational leadership.
• Collegiate Farm Bureau Collegiate-level program engaging college students in agricultural advocacy, networking, and Farm Bureau activities at participating Wisconsin campuses.
• Promotion and Engagement Program Program that equips Farm Bureau members to promote agriculture, engage with consumers, and amplify the organization's public relations efforts.
• Farm Neighbors Care Community engagement initiative that encourages Farm Bureau members to support rural neighbors, farm safety, and well-being in Wisconsin communities.
• Sustainability Initiatives Initiatives and resources supporting Wisconsin farmers in adopting sustainable farming practices and communicating their stewardship efforts.
• Volunteers for Agriculture (VFA) Federation-affiliated political action committee that supports candidates and policies favorable to Wisconsin agriculture.
• I Farm. I Vote. Non-partisan civic engagement initiative encouraging Wisconsin farmers to register and vote in local, state, and federal elections.
• Marketbasket Survey Quarterly survey tracking the cost of a basket of common food items at grocery stores across Wisconsin, used to inform Farm Bureau members and the public about food price trends.
• Gather Wisconsin Event series organized by Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation to bring members, partners, and stakeholders together for networking, learning, and discussion.
• Cultivate & Connect Conference Annual Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation conference offering members educational sessions, networking, and engagement opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• $462,000 distributed to Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation programs in fiscal year 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wisconsin Beef CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Marketbasket survey and food pricing research. Wisconsin Beef Council provides expert commentary on beef market trends and consumer behavior related to ground beef and protein consumption.
• Wisconsin Soybean Marketing BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Leadership Institute program, providing partial funding for the year-long leadership training program.
• Insight FSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner with WFBF's Young Farmer and Agriculturist program for the 35 Under 35 Award program, providing sponsorship for cash prizes and apparel for finalists.
• Green Bay Packers FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner$3,500 grant awarded to Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation to support Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom program and expand agriculture literacy across the state.
• Federated Youth FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner$5,000 contribution in support of Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom program and Farm Neighbors Care campaign to support youth education and rural resilience.
• American Farm Bureau FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational parent organization representing American agriculture. Wisconsin Farm Bureau participates in national conventions, YF&R programs, and coordinates on national agricultural policy and advocacy efforts.
• Dane County Farm BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal county Farm Bureau contributing $50,000 through Mike and Shirley Duerst to establish a fund supporting future Leadership Institute participants.
• Wisconsin Agriculture in the ClassroomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide educational program coordinated by Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation that provides agricultural literacy resources to students and educators.
• Wisconsin FFAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on FFA Farm Forum event providing leadership development for FFA members.
• Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership addressing food insecurity through Farm Neighbors Care and farmers-food banks initiatives, supporting nearly 700,000 food insecure people in Wisconsin.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Farmers Union: Wisconsin-based general farm organization providing legislative advocacy, education, and member programs for Wisconsin farmers. Operates in the same geography and competes directly for Wisconsin farmer membership.
• Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation: Neighbor state Farm Bureau with an essentially identical structure: county Farm Bureaus, membership dues, Ag in the Classroom, Young Farmers & Ranchers program, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable midwestern peer.
• Illinois Farm Bureau: Adjacent state Farm Bureau with a closely parallel model: county-level structure, membership dues, advocacy, leadership programs, and member benefits. Bradley Uken, WFBF's CAO, spent his career at Illinois Farm Bureau, illustrating structural similarity.
• Iowa Farm Bureau Federation: Statewide general farm organization operating the same grassroots, county-based membership, advocacy, and member-benefit model as WFBF, often cited as one of the largest and most influential state Farm Bureaus.
• Ohio Farm Bureau Federation: Statewide membership-based farm organization offering legislative representation, leadership programs, and member benefits through a county-based structure, comparable in scope and operating model to WFBF.
• Indiana Farm Bureau: Statewide general farm organization with parallel structure to WFBF, including grassroots county network, legislative advocacy, member benefits, and educational programs for Indiana farmers.
• Michigan Farm Bureau: Midwestern state Farm Bureau operating the same county-Farm Bureau, member-benefit, advocacy, and Young Farmer program structure. Strong direct peer on programmatic and membership model alignment.

Broad incumbents

• National Farmers Union: National advocacy organization for U.S. farmers offering legislative representation, education, and cooperative programs. Broader geographic and ideological remit than WFBF, but operates a comparable membership-advocacy model.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: National parent organization of which Wisconsin Farm Bureau is an affiliate. Directly comparable as a federation of state Farm Bureaus providing legislative advocacy, member benefits, and educational programming to U.S. farmers.

Regional players

• Cooperative Network: Wisconsin- and Minnesota-based trade association representing cooperatives, including agricultural cooperatives. Comparable as a regional membership/advocacy organization serving rural and agricultural members in WFBF's footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wifarmbureau
• YouTubeyoutube.com/wifarmbureau
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIFarmBureau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wifarmbureau
• Instagraminstagram.com/wifarmbureau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation