New York Farm Bureau History

In 1911, times were tough in Broome County, New York.

Farmers did not have money to spend. Binghamton merchants were feeling the loss. The Lackawanna Railroad saw lower freight shipments to the area.

So, together, the local chamber of commerce and the railroad worked with the United States Department of Agriculture and the New York State College of Agriculture to establish New York Farm Bureau. Their mission was to improve the income of farmers and, by extension, the economy of the region.

From the early days of the 1900s to 1955, New York Farm Bureau educated and advocated for farmers. In 1955, Cornell Cooperative Extension continued to educate, and the “new” Farm Bureau continued to be the Voice of Agriculture.

Since its founding, New York Farm Bureau has been in the business of providing the resources that support and enrich the rural way of life. Through the efforts of our organization, farmers have learned to work together to promote more efficient production, better marketing, fair legislation, and a safe food supply and work environment.

We play an important role among the six million members from the United States and Puerto Rico represented by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest voluntary general farm organization in the world.

The 2017 American Farm Bureau convention recognized New York Farm Bureau with the first-ever Founder’s Award. Judi Whittaker, from Broome County, accepted this award presented posthumously for Farm Bureau President James Quinn. Today, the James Quinn Award recognizes an individual member for a year of outstanding initiative and leadership in Farm Bureau and agriculture. This award, together with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award, is presented each year at the New York Farm Bureau State Annual Convention.