Farm Bureau, the voice of agriculture, is a free, independent, non-governmental voluntary association of farm families and those with related interest.
     Farm Bureau is local, statewide, national and international in its scope and influence. It is non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-secret in character.  It is organized to provide a means by which farmers can work together toward the goals upon which they agree.  It is wholly controlled by its members and is financed by dues covering county, state and national membership, paid annually by each member family.
     Farm Bureau policies stem from the people on the land.  Farm families discuss issues, talk them over in the community and make recommendations.  County resolutions derived from these community recommendations were adopted as policies on county issues and as recommendations on state and national issues to the Maryland Farm Bureau.  The policies herein were derived from these county recommendations and became official Maryland Farm Bureau policy for 2009 as set by voting delegates during the 93^rd annual convention of the Maryland Farm Bureau on December 10, 2008.