By Dayna Ghirardelli, Executive Director
As the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, October is a month of transition, reflection, and preparation.
Our fiscal year runs from November 1 through October 31, which means September and October are spent reviewing the year behind us, assessing where we are financially, and preparing for the year ahead. It is an important process, and, admittedly, not always an easy one.
As a membership organization, our members provide the foundation that allows us to do our work. But maintaining our effectiveness, and more importantly, expanding our ability to advocate, educate, and respond to the issues affecting agriculture, requires more than membership dues alone. Fundraising, sponsorships, and additional support have become increasingly important, particularly in today’s economic climate.
Beginning November 1, annual dues for our Agricultural membership will increase by 50 dollars to $440. This increase was approved by our Board two years ago, aligning our membership dues with California Farm Bureau’s dues increases. Of the $440 annual membership, $175 is collected for California Farm Bureau, while $265 remains with Sonoma County Farm Bureau to support our local work. In other words, just $22.08 per month of an agriculture membership remains here in Sonoma County.
That number puts things in perspective. Our fundraisers are important, but so are elevated memberships (Business, Platinum, Premium), sponsorships, individual contributions, and participation in programs such as our Sustaining Partner Program. Every additional dollar gives us the ability to do more than simply maintain the status quo. It allows us to be present when agriculture needs a voice, provide resources when our members need them, and invest in the future of farming and ranching in Sonoma County.
As I review the financial year behind us and prepare for the one ahead, I also want to take a moment to address an issue that occurred within Sonoma County Farm Bureau last year.
As previously communicated, the organization experienced an act of embezzlement, and legal proceedings related to the matter are ongoing. Because those proceedings remain active, there is limited information we can share at this time. What I can share is that Sonoma County Farm Bureau submitted a claim to our insurance carrier and, following its review of the documentation and circumstances surrounding the loss, our claim was paid. The organization’s losses have been covered.
More importantly, we have used this experience as an opportunity to strengthen our financial safeguards. We have implemented additional protocols and oversight measures designed to provide greater separation of responsibilities, authorization and review of financial activity, and accountability throughout our financial processes.
We take our responsibility to our members very seriously. The funds entrusted to Sonoma County Farm Bureau belong to the organization and, ultimately, to the members we serve. While no organization can eliminate every risk, we can learn from our experiences and continually improve the systems we have in place to protect our members’ investment in Farm Bureau.
I appreciate the trust our members place in us, and I believe transparency is an important part of maintaining that trust.
Financial stewardship is only one part of what we consider as we close one year and begin another. Over the past year, Farm Bureau has continued to advocate for agriculture at the local, regional, and state levels; provide resources and education to our members; engage with policymakers; support agricultural education; bring our community together; and respond to an ever-growing list of issues affecting the viability of farming and ranching.
None of that happens without our members.
Membership is more than a transaction. It is a commitment to maintaining a collective voice for agriculture. It gives us the ability to sit at the table, build relationships, respond to challenges, and advocate for the future of our agricultural community. The strength of Farm Bureau is ultimately measured by the strength and engagement of the people who collectively make up our organization.
As we look ahead to November 1 and the beginning of a new fiscal year, the work ahead is about more than the year immediately in front of us. It is about making sure agriculture remains a viable and valued part of Sonoma County for the next generation.
That takes strong membership. It takes responsible stewardship. It takes participation. It takes fundraising and the generosity of our supporters. And it takes all of us recognizing that the decisions we make today help shape what agriculture will look like tomorrow.
