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Our Kane County History

Chartered as the Kane County Farm Improvement Association, organized to help farmers improve their production practices. In 1919, our name was changed to Kane County Farm Bureau. Today we serve both rural and urban people who are interested in the well-being of agriculture.

Farm Bureau is a voice for farmers and others who have a vested interest in agriculture. Our mission is to “Enhance the quality of life for member families, promote all aspects of agriculture and advocate good stewardship of our land and resources”. To achieve that, many member services have been developed over the years. As these services were added, non-farmers were given access to Farm Bureau services. Country Mutual and Country Preferred insurance services are two such services available only to Farm Bureau members. They are services that evolved from a need other insurers were unwilling to underwrite 75 years ago – fire protection on rural farms. As an insurance company formed to insure farmers, Country Mutual and Country Preferred stay true to that original mission today by insuring only those who show their support for farms and farmers by their membership in a county Farm Bureau.

The Farm Bureau is the largest farm organization in Kane County, Illinois and the U.S. Locally over 15,000 member families belong to the Kane County Farm Bureau. Illinois Farm Bureau boasts nearly 500,000 members, and with over 5 million people nationwide, helps make Farm Bureau America’s 8th largest membership organization. As one of the most respected and influential groups in Washington D.C. and state capitals, member support and goodwill helps us to represent the best interests of America’s farmers and all our members.

Farm Bureau’s goal is to maintain an organization through which rural and urban people can think, act and work together to strengthen agriculture’s role and influence as a vital part of a strong and prosperous economy. It exists to provide programs and services for its members.

Kane County Farm Bureau’s public policy influence has helped secure several important firsts for Illinois farmers. Kane County was Illinois’ first county to:

• protect
  farms by ordinance from nuisance lawsuits, 1991

• develop
  a stormwater ordinance to protect farmland, 2000

• establish
  a Farmland Protection Program, 2001.

• assist
  farmers in maintaining productive soils with a
  farmland drainage assistance program, 2003.