American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Director of Membership and Organization Development Austin Large spent the day with Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation members delivering two membership-focused presentations—one to county presidents and vice presidents and another to the full delegate body during General Session. 

Large opened the morning session by asking county leaders to think back to age 16 and name their favorite hobby, movie and piece of technology. The room filled with references to cassette adapters, first-generation internet service and long-forgotten shows. 

“Your formative experiences shape how you interact with the world,” Large said. “That’s at the heart of understanding generations.” 

He walked members through the characteristics commonly associated with Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. The goal, he said, was not to stereotype but to equip leaders with tools. 

“You’re not trying to change people,” he said. “You’re trying to understand them so you can meet them where they are.” 

Large connected that discussion to the membership life cycle, beginning with awareness. “People can’t join you if they don’t know who you are or what you do,” he said. Recruitment, he added, should be personal and focused on the prospective member’s needs. 

“It can’t be a fire hose,” he joked. “Lead with what you know about them and what they’re trying to accomplish.” 

He emphasized that engagement is the strongest predictor of renewal. “The number one reason people don’t renew is lack of engagement,” he said. “If they don’t feel connected, they won’t stay.” Counties, he noted, should look closely at what keeps members active—events, committees, outreach or policy involvement. 

Large encouraged county leaders to go home and map how members move through their organizations. “You don’t have to fix everything at once,” he said. “Pick one part of the life cycle and commit to improving it.” 

During the afternoon General Session, Large shifted to national trends. He shared Farm Bureau membership data from around the country, noting that every state faces changing demographics, shifting expectations and volunteer fatigue. 

“Trends aren’t destiny,” he said. “What you focus on expands.” 

Large pointed to national association research that mirrors Farm Bureau’s own experience. “The top reason people don’t join is they don’t see the value,” he said. “The top reason they don’t renew is they weren’t engaged.” Those points, he added, are consistent across industries. 

He urged members to adjust how they talk about membership by highlighting impact, not just programs. “If someone says dues are too high, you don’t have a dues problem,” he said. “You have a value problem. They don’t see their return on investment yet.” 

People join and stay, Large said, when they know belonging to the Federation strengthens their lives and their operations. “The features of Farm Bureau matter, but it’s the benefit—what it does for you—that moves people to action,” he said. 

Large closed with leadership lessons drawn from the “Habitudes” framework. He encouraged members to be “cathedral builders” who see the bigger picture, “rivers” that channel energy toward what matters, “small sprockets” willing to start small changes and “trains on tracks” that rely on simple systems over time. 

“You’re running operations, raising families and still volunteering to protect agriculture,” he said. “Systems and focus make that work sustainable.” 

He reminded members that every part of the day’s discussion—generations, recruitment, engagement and leadership—comes back to one truth. 

“At the end of the day, membership is about people,” he said. “When people feel seen, valued and engaged, they stay. And they bring others with them.”