Florida Farm Bureau Federation Promotes the State’s ‘AGvantage’
AFBF Staff
By Sydney Garrett
Florida Farm Bureau Federation took to the football fields to promote agriculture through a program called “The Home Field AGvantage.” Working with Knox Media Group, the sponsorship package allowed Florida Farm Bureau Federation to sponsor two football games during the 2022 season, one at the University of Florida and the other at Florida State University.
“It was designed to educate football fans in a non-farm audience about Florida agriculture in a fun and engaging way,” said Rachael Smith, Florida Farm Bureau Federation director of public relations.
The main goal of the events – held both in the tailgating area and inside the stadium – was to educate the public on Florida agriculture and locally grown products and food, while also striving to increase Farm Bureau brand awareness and connect with potential new members.
“Agriculture is Florida’s second-largest industry,” Smith said. “We wanted to give our fans a true ag experience and celebrate our farm families.”
Throughout the events, fans had the opportunity to visit with Farm Bureau members and staff about the different commodities within their state. The space was inviting with various graphics, cutouts, food, and more, all related to Florida agriculture.
photo credit: Florida Farm Bureau
Four displays were created and featured in the tailgate area.
“We had four displays divided into regions geographically and came up with different facts for each of these areas,” explained Smith. “The designs were based on a playbook and we had real agricultural products that were donated by our members.”
The impact continued inside the stadium with graphics highlighting how agricultural products were used on the football field. The halftime show allowed for more engagement, asking members of the audience to stand if they were a farmer, researcher or had eaten that day, helping to reinforce the connection everyone has to agriculture.
Success would not have been possible without the volunteers and collaborations that took place leading up to the games. Smith shared that over 2,500 volunteer hours were logged during the planning and execution of the events.
Overall, the event’s impact was widespread. After combining data from the various distribution channels, Smith shared the following statistics:
- More than 1.6 million impressions
- Over 3,500 event attendees
- 12,000 website visits
- 204,000 social media interactions
Another win for Florida Farm Bureau Federation includes just under 3,000 new member leads from these events. To learn more about “The Home Field AGvantage,” go to https://thehomefieldagvantage.org or reach out to Smith at rachael.smith@ffbf.org.
New Horizon Award
“The Home Field AGvantage” garnered Florida Farm Bureau a 2023 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.
Sydney Garrett is the communications assistant for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
