What Sonoma County Farm Bureau does

Sonoma County Farm Bureau is a private, nonprofit agricultural advocacy organization headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, and a county-level affiliate of the California Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Federation. Founded in 1917, the organization represents and advocates for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses in Sonoma County through policy advocacy, community events, and educational programs. Its mission is structured around four pillars: protect (mitigating overregulation and defending right-to-farm), promote (supporting local agriculture viability), educate (connecting the public to farming through programs like Ag Days, which reaches over 3,500 students), and unite (collective advocacy at local, state, and national levels).

The organization operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees and delivers programs rather than commercial products. Core offerings include membership services, policy advocacy (e.g., defeating Measure J in 2024, engaging the Region 1 Water Quality Board on vineyard permits), six signature annual events (Crab Feed, Ag Days, Love of the Land, Golf Tournament, Farm Fest, Farm to Finish Line), the Young Farmers & Ranchers program, compliance assistance, and a separate 501(c)(3) affiliate, the Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County, which has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to nearly 700 recipients since 2006.

Revenue is generated from three primary streams: annual membership dues, event fundraising through ticket sales, live auctions, and sponsorships, and Foundation donations and estate contributions. The organization does not publicly disclose its revenue, pricing structure, or financial statements. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on events, volunteer programs, peer recruitment, and educational outreach to acquire and retain members rather than traditional sales motion.

Name

Sonoma County Farm Bureau

Legal name

Sonoma County Farm Bureau

Website

https://sonomafb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sonoma County Farm Bureau is a nonprofit agricultural advocacy organization that represents and advocates for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses in Sonoma County, California, through membership, education, community events, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses. The organization achieved its annual membership goal as set forth by the California Farm Bureau.
2. Event Fundraising: Revenue from signature events including the Crab Feed (1,250+ guests), Love of the Land, Golf Tournament, and Farm Fest. Includes ticket sales, live auctions, and sponsorships.
3. Foundation Donations and Sponsorships: The Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County (separate 501(c)3) receives donations, corporate sponsorships, and estate contributions. Received $875,000 estate settlement in 2025. Foundation supports scholarships and agricultural education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sonoma County Farm Bureau is a non-profit membership organization that represents and advocates for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses in Sonoma County, California. It provides policy advocacy on land-use, water regulations, and right-to-farm issues, along with educational outreach programs (Ag Days, Farm Fest), community events (Crab Feed, Love of the Land, Golf Tournament, Farm to Finish Line), and a separate Foundation that delivers scholarships and agricultural education grants.

Product overview

Sonoma County Farm Bureau is a non-profit agricultural advocacy organization that provides membership services, educational programs, community events, and policy advocacy for farmers and ranchers in Sonoma County. The organization does not offer commercial technology products or software services; rather it delivers programs including advocacy, membership benefits, educational outreach (Ag Days, Farm Fest), young farmers programs, compliance assistance, and community events (Crab Feed, Love of the Land, Golf Tournament). The Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County is its affiliated 501(c)(3) that provides agricultural education and scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County: A separate 501(c)(3) organization created in 2005 to support agricultural education, youth programs, scholarships, and community outreach for the Sonoma County agricultural community.

Products and services

• Farm Bureau Membership
• Policy Advocacy and Ag Advocate Program
• Compliance Division
• Young Farmers & Ranchers Program Leadership development program for members ages 18-35 offering public speaking, issue advocacy, business development, networking, and service leadership opportunities through the Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers & Ranchers chapter.
• Annual Crab Feed Fundraiser Signature annual fundraising event hosting 1,250+ guests with ticket sales, live auctions, and corporate sponsorships supporting the organization's mission.
• Love of the Land Celebration Annual celebration recognizing agricultural land stewardship, hosted at Jackson Family Wines venues, combining fundraising, community building, and recognition of conservation-minded farmers and ranchers.
• Golf Tournament Annual golf tournament fundraiser generating revenue through entry fees, sponsorships, and on-course activations for Sonoma County Farm Bureau members and supporters.
• Ag Days Educational Program Educational outreach program attracting over 3,500 students, parents, and teachers annually to learn about Sonoma County agriculture through exhibits and curriculum-linked contests for K-12 grades.
• Sonoma County Farm Fest Annual community event celebrating agriculture and connecting the public to local farming, providing educational experiences and family-friendly activities.
• Farm to Finish Line at Sonoma Raceway Partnership event with Sonoma Raceway during NASCAR weekend bringing agriculture to a new audience through exhibits and programming.
• Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County Scholarship Program Scholarship and agricultural education grant program administered by the affiliated 501(c)(3) Farm Bureau Foundation, awarding over $2 million to nearly 700 recipients pursuing agriculture careers since 2006.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Separate 501(c)(3) created in 2005 with the primary objective of providing education, training, and services to benefit the agricultural industry, youth, and community. The Foundation is governed by a separate Board of Directors but relies on the Farm Bureau to activate programs, paying an annual administration and service fee. Since 2006, the Foundation has awarded over $2 Million in scholarships to nearly 700 recipients.
• Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers & RancherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chapter of the Young Farmers & Ranchers program includes participants ages 18-35. Program develops young Farm Bureau members through leadership opportunities, public speaking, issue advocacy, business development, networking, and service leadership.
• Alvin J Hansen FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Alvin J Hansen Foundation to identify and administer over $200,000 to 4-H Clubs, FFA Chapters, and local schools for agricultural education grants.
• Richard Kunde Sonoma County Pruning ChampionshipsminorOthersCalifornia Vineyard & Farm Supply, a family business, sponsors and judges at the Richard Kunde Sonoma County Pruning Championships and similar events in adjoining counties.
• ATL EventsminorOthersAudio-visual and event production company that has provided AV services for Farm Bureau events for over 20 years. CEO Sylvia Parkinson is a member and supporter who also brings in new members and auction items.
• Jackson Family WinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Love of the Land celebration at Richard's Grove and Saralee's Vineyard, now part of Jackson Family Wines.
• Sonoma RacewayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Farm to Finish Line event during NASCAR weekend, bringing agriculture to a new audience at Sonoma Raceway.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Farm Bureau Federation: State-level parent organization of the county Farm Bureau network with which Sonoma County Farm Bureau is directly affiliated. Operates the same membership-and-advocacy model and shares the same member base, making it the most direct structural peer.
• Napa County Farm Bureau: Neighboring county-level Farm Bureau serving Napa County with the same membership, advocacy, and event-driven model. Closest functional peer given similar size, regional economy, and wine/agriculture focus.
• Marin County Farm Bureau: Adjacent county-level Farm Bureau sharing staff/programming with Sonoma through the Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers & Ranchers chapter. Operates the same chapter-based advocacy and community-event model in a comparable regional context.
• Mendocino County Farm Bureau: County-level Farm Bureau serving a nearby wine-and-diverse-agriculture region with the same membership, advocacy, and education model. Directly comparable in scope and member profile to Sonoma.

Broad incumbents

• National Farmers Union: National membership-based advocacy organization for family farmers and ranchers. Comparable in mission of representing farmer interests in policy, but uses a different (cooperative/policy-driven) model than the Farm Bureau system.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: National umbrella organization for the entire U.S. Farm Bureau system. Comparable in mission (advocacy, education, member services for farmers) but operates at much greater scale and scope.

Emerging players

• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): California-based nonprofit focused on sustainable and family-scale agriculture, with overlapping education and advocacy functions. Thematically aligned but more niche and advocacy-driven around sustainable ag than the broad Farm Bureau coalition.

Regional players

• Sonoma County Winegrowers: Regional commodity-specific association focused on Sonoma County winegrape growers. Operates in the same geography and overlaps with the Farm Bureau's grower constituency, but with a narrower, wine-only focus rather than whole-of-agriculture advocacy.

Others

• Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association: Regional nonprofit that operates farmers' markets connecting growers with consumers in the Bay Area. Shares the Farm Bureau's community-engagement and food-system mission but is structurally different (market operator, not advocacy body).
• California Cattlemen's Association: State-level commodity-specific trade association for California ranchers. Comparable as a membership/advocacy model but focused on a single livestock commodity, making it a thematic rather than direct peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SonomaCountyFarmBureau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sonoma-county-farm-bureau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sonoma County Farm Bureau