San Antonio—The Montana Farm Bureau Federation captured the New Horizon Award in their membership category during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 106th Convention in San Antonio.  The New Horizon Award honors the most innovative new state Farm Bureau programs.

Montana received the award for their May Membership Month promotional materials, which gave state Farm Bureau members creative ways to recruit new members. The items included “Join the Herd” and “Tag, You’re It” postcards members were encouraged to share with friends and family along with matching Montana Farm Bureau-branded squishy stress-relief cows, key chain ear tags and cotton roping gloves.  

MFBF also captured four Awards of Excellence that recognizes state Farm Bureaus that demonstrated outstanding achievements in four program areas: Advocacy, Coalitions & Partnerships, Engagement & Outreach and Leadership & Business Development. 

“It is such an honor to represent Montana on stage when I receive recognition for the hard work of our volunteers and staff,” said MFBF President Cyndi Johnson, a wheat farmer from Conrad. “The New Horizon award shows our state Farm Bureau’s ability to remain creative while keeping our members engaged in the grassroots process.”

The state’s largest general agricultural organization also received the Apex Award which is given to state Farm Bureaus that have increased total contributions to the AFBF Foundation for Agriculture by 10 percent or more over the previous year and the Navigator Award which is a calculated percentage of growth by state-size based on the previous year's final reported membership.

Thirty-eight MFBF members have traveled to San Antonio for the AFBF Annual Convention which runs January 24-29.