GRAND RAPIDS – Thanks to a personalized agricultural education and promotion campaign of the Cass County Farm Bureau, everyone attending this year’s Cass County Fair came away from the fair knowing more about the people who drive the county’s agriculture industry.

Now, the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) is honoring the Cass County Farm Bureau with the organization’s 2009 County Activities of Excellence Award in recognition of the successful campaign.

Cass County Farm Bureau leaders received the honor Dec. 1 at MFB’s 90th annual meeting in Grand Rapids.

Presented annually, the County Activities of Excellence Award recognizes innovative, action-oriented programs developed by county Farm Bureaus in the areas of education and agricultural promotion, member services, information/public relations, leadership development and policy implementation.

Cass County Farm Bureau’s “Cass County Farmers CARE” campaign set out to put a local face on agriculture and communicate to the general public how area farmers care for their animals, the environment and their community.

Farm Bureau members chose the 2009 Cass County Fair as the stage for their campaign and developed a variety of tactics to expose fairgoers to local farmers and the “Farmers CARE” message.

First, they developed a brochure to distribute to every fairgoer.

The 16-page handout showcased a dozen farmers and agribusinesses, with photos of local farmers and their comments on “what farming means to them,” as well as material from a local feed mill, meat market, food processor and veterinarian.

They then incorporated the images and comments into a five-poster display to accompany commercial exhibits at the fair, and used the material to create vivid 3-foot-by-5-foot vinyl banners to hang throughout the fairgrounds.

“The county Farm Bureau wanted the public to see a farmer as a friend, neighbor, someone they attend church with, or someone they see in the community rather than the negative images that have been oftentimes depicted in the media or by anti-agriculture activist groups,” said Cass County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Chairperson Sarah Peterson and Cass County Farm Bureau President Carl Sparks in submitting the award application.

“(We) also wanted to showcase several of the agri-businesses to further help consumers make the connection between their food and the farm and further show the importance that agriculture has to the economy and community in Cass County,” they wrote.

The campaign was so successful that its reach has extended far beyond the fair.

The brochures are being distributed to the public at additional community events and businesses throughout the county.

The local Farm Service Agency office, parks manager, and others have expressed interest in utilizing the Farmers CARE poster display and banners at additional venues.

And the Cass County Farm Bureau plans to create billboards from the material.

MFB selected the Cass County Farm Bureau from award entries received.

The award application now moves on for consideration in the American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence national contest.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families. The MFB 90th Annual Meeting runs until Dec. 4 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place.