• 2022 Gold & Silver Windmill Awards

  • Montana Farm Bureau -    2022 Gold and Silver Windmill Awards

    Montana Farm Bureau -    2022 Gold and Silver Windmill Awards

  • Purpose

    • To recognize county Farm Bureaus for outstanding achievements in meeting their member’s needs
    • To provide a means for county Farm Bureaus to share great program ideas
    • To help county Farm Bureaus evaluate county Farm Bureau activities

    Awards Program

    There will be two levels of awards. The first level is the Gold and Silver Windmill Awards and the second level is the President’s Award.

    • A Silver Windmill shall be given for each program category that exceeds the minimum percentage score (see below) upon judging. A Gold Windmill Award shall be given to any county Farm Bureau that receives a Silver Windmill in all 5 program categories below.
    • The President’s Award will be given to the most outstanding (highest scoring) entry in each membership classification for each program category. Note: County Farm Bureaus must either achieve overall membership quota or voting membership growth to receive a President’s Award.

    In the event of a tie, the county that has the highest percent increase in total members will receive the award.

    Counties may submit their entries in any/all of the five program categories. These program areas represent areas in which county Farm Bureaus should conduct programs in order to achieve the organization’s mission. The five activity categories are:

    • Public Policy
    • Ag Promotion and Education
    • Leadership Development
    • Membership Development
    • Public Relations

    Rules and Criteria

    1. Award application must be submitted via this form by email, mail or fax to the Montana Farm Bureau office by October 15, 2022.
    2. Attachments with supportive material are allowed, but are not required for consideration per program category.
    3. Counties will not be awarded points for the same program in more than 1 question per award category.
    4. There will be one President’s Award presented in each of two membership classifications for each of the five program categories.
    5. To receive the President’s Award the county must have achieved membership quota or voting membership growth for the year.

    Membership Classifications

    There shall be two membership classifications with an even number of counties per category or as even as possible. The categories shall have stated ranges of membership based on the prior year-end total.

    2022Membership Classification 

    Group 1: 1-117 Voting Members – 50% minimum score

    Group 2: 117 + Voting Members – 55% minimum score

     

  • Uncategorized Program

  • Note: If your County Farm Bureau conducted a program or event that doesn’t fit into the categories or questions listed in this application, please list that program and details below.

  • Public Policy

  • 1.) Did your county appoint a Policy Development (PD) Chair? [15 Points]*
  • 2.) Did your county appoint a Policy Development (PD) Committee? [15 Points]*
  • 3.) Did your county host a meeting (Resolutions or Policy Development Meeting) for members, separate from your annual meeting specifically for the purpose of policy development or to discuss your county’s policy positions and resolutions? [10 Points]*
  • Date of Resolutions or Policy Development Meeting
     - -
  • 4.) Did your county forward state and/or national resolutions to the MFBF office by the deadline and were the resolutions properly labeled (new, policy #, page#)? [10 Points]*
  • 5.) Did your county Farm Bureau hold an in-person or virtual legislative event during the year? (Examples:  issue speaker, candidate forum, invite a legislator to a county meeting, etc...) [10 Points]*
  • 6.) Did anyone from your county participate in a legislative/policy event outside your county Farm Bureau, whether in-person or virtual? (Examples:  lobbying trip, testify on a bill in-person or virtual, MFBF Calling on the Capitol, MFBF Fly-In, Summer Committee Meetings, etc...) [10 Points]*
  • 7.) Did your county have volunteers work towards agricultural advocacy by responding to a MFBF call to action? [10 Points]*
  • 8.) Did your county have volunteers work towards agricultural advocacy by submitting public comments on an issue? [10 Points]*
  • 9.) Did your county have volunteers work towards agricultural advocacy by submitting a press release on an issue or conduct a media interview? [10 Points]*

  • Ag Promotion and Education

  • 1.) Did your county appoint a Promotion and Education Chair? [15 Points]*
  • 2.) Did your county appoint a Promotion and Education Committee? [15 Points]*
  • 3.) Did your Promotion and Education Committee meet during the year? [10 Points]*
  • Date(s) of the meeting:
     - -
  • Date(s) of the meeting:
     - -
  • 4.) Does your county work with the 4-H &/or FFA or Ag in the Classroom? [10 Points]*
  • 5.) Did your county conduct a Farm Safety program or an ATV Safety program presentation to school age youth? [10 Points]*
  • Date of Presentation:
     - -
  • 6.) Did your county have an agricultural education activity, whether in-person or virtual?  (Donate book of the year, Farm Facts or Ag Mags to local schools, read books of the year to local schools, etc.) [10 Points]*
  • 7.) Did your county hold an agricultural promotion event, whether in-person or virtual? (Examples: Right This Very Minute video, promote Our Food Link, host or participate in a Farm Fair, MSFAG Safety workshop) [10 Points]*
  • 8.) Did your county participate in your county fair? [10 Points]*
  • 9.) Does your county have a Farm Bureau promotional display or presentation in your community? (Examples: Farm Bureau billboard or sign, radio or TV advertisement) [10 Points]*
  • 10.) Did your county hold a promotional event during National Ag Week? [10 Points]*

  • Leadership Development

  • 1.) Did your county appoint a Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Chair? [15 Points]*
  • 2.) Did your county appoint a Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Committee? [15 Points]*
  • 3.) Did your YF&R Committee meet during the year? [10 Points]*
  • Date (s) of the meeting:
     - -
  • Date (s) of the meeting:
     - -
  • 4.) Did your county have an entrant in the Discussion Meet, Excellence in Agriculture, or Achievement Award Contest? (Points will be multiplied by the number of contestants) [x5 Points Max of 15]*
  • 5.) Did your county Farm Bureau send participants to a YF&R event outside your county?  (Examples: Young Ag Leadership Conference, YF&R Calling on the Capitol, AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference, etc.) [10 Points]*
  • 7.) Did your county appoint a Women's Leadership Committee Chair? [15 Points]*
  • 8.) Did your county appoint a Women's Leadership Committee? [15 Points]*
  • 9.) Did your Women's Leadership Committee meet during the year? [10 Points]*
  • Date of the meeting:
     - -
  • 10.) Did your county Farm Bureau participate in a state wide Women's Leadership Committee event, whether in-person or virtual?  (Examples:  Photo Contest, WLC Calling on the Capitol, WLC Scholarship, National Ag Week, Our Food Link, Ag in Color Drawing Contest, etc.) [10 Points]*
  • 12.) Did your county Farm Bureau participate in leadership training for county board members? [10 Points]*
  • 13.) Does your county have an active committee system that includes members not on the board? [15 Points]*
  • 14.) Is there a written agenda for each board member at each meeting? [15 Points]*
  • 15.) Did your county conduct a goal setting session to develop a program of work for the year? [15 Points]*
  • 16.) Does your county have a full board of directors as prescribed by county by-laws? [5 Points]*
  • 17.) Does your county have a signed State/County Farm Bureau Membership Agreement? [5 Points]*
  • 18.) Did your county review or update your by-laws and make necessary updates? [5 Points]*
  • 19.) Is there a financial report at each board meeting? [5 Points]*
  • 20.) Did your county file your annual Montana Secretary of State corporate annual report? [5 Points]*
  • 21.) Did your county file with the annual group tax return? [5 Points]*
  • 22.) Did the board of directors classify and approve all memberships annually at each meeting or Quarterly? [5 Points]*
  • 23.) Did your county surface and involve new members in county activities? [20 Points - Bonus]*

  • Membership Development

  • 1.) Did your county appoint a volunteer Membership Chair? [15 Points]*
  • 2.) Did your county appoint a Membership Committee? [15 Points]*
  • 3.) Did your county achieve a Voting Membership gain (MFBF office will fill in if you do not know)? [15 Points]
  • 4.) Did your county achieve a Total Membership gain (MFBF office will fill in if you do not know)? [10 Points]*
  • 5.) Did your county Farm Bureau conduct a membership campaign and recruit or retain at least one member during the campaign?  (Points will be multiplied by the number of recruits) [x10 Points]*
  • 6.) Did your county Farm Bureau recruit at least one Student member?  (Points will be multiplied by the number of recruits) [x10 Points]*
  • 7.) Did your county make a personal contact to new voting members inviting them to become involved or invite them to a meeting? [10 Points]*
  • 8.) Did your county Farm Bureau review membership and contact members classified as Associate who should be Voting in order to ask them to upgrade their membership or Voting members to upgrade to Century Club? [10 Points]*
  • 9.) Does your county Farm Bureau publish a Newsletter, E-Newsletter or County Farm Bureau brochure? [5 Points]*
  • 10.) Did your county Farm Bureau notify members, your district director, your Regional Manager and MWFBMIC agent of upcoming meetings or events? [5 Points]*
  • 11.) Does your county Farm Bureau have an e-mail group or group text to invite members to board or county meetings? [5 Points]*
  • 12.) Did your county Farm Bureau participate in the MFBF May Membership Month? [10 Points]*
  • 13.) Did your county Farm Bureau host a county membership event this year? [20 Points - Bonus]

  • Public Relations

  • 1.) Do you have an ACTIVE county Farm Bureau website or Facebook page? [20 Points]*
  • Date of last post or article:
     - -
  • 2.) Did your Facebook page increase followers or feature at least one event invitation. [10 Points]*
  • 3.) Did your county Farm Bureau publish or issue at least one original (independent of a MFBF or AFBF) news release, "Op-Ed" or Public Service Announcement? [x5 Max of 15 Points]*
  • Date:
     - -
  • 4.) Did a member of your county Farm Bureau conduct a radio interview on a Farm Bureau issue? [15 Points]*
  • Date:
     - -
  • 5.) Did a member of your county Farm Bureau conduct a television interview on a Farm Bureau issue? [15 Points]*
  • Date :
     - -
  • 6.) Did your county Farm Bureau leadership write a letter to the editor on an agriculture issue? [15 Points]*
  • Date:
     - -
  • 7.) Has a member from your county Farm Bureau attended a public relations/spokesperson training session such as ACE? [20 Points]*
  • 8.) Did your County Farm Bureau pay for advertising or an event sponsorship that increased public relations for Farm Bureau? [10 Points]*
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  • Should be Empty: