The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation has made a significant impact on the Iowa State University campus over the past 30 years. The organization has supported student clubs and events throughout campus, and through ISU Extension and 4-H has championed youth and rural programming throughout the state. IFBF has both directly and indirectly improved the lives of Iowa State students through program support, scholarships, and capital projects.

The organization’s first gift to Iowa State came more than 30 years ago to support the Meat Judging Contest in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a program IFBF continues to support today. Since then, IFBF has made more than $3.2 million in contributions to the university.

Among those with the most significant impact are a $1 million gift to the 4-H/Extension Building, $500,000 for the Animal Science Intensive Livestock Building, and $100,000 toward the construction of the Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. IFBF also has supported other Iowa State programs, including the ISU Science Fair, the Borlaug Learning Center, and scholarships and graduate fellowships in the Colleges of Business, Human Sciences, and Agriculture and Life Sciences.

In addition, a $1 million gift to Iowa State’s Bioeconomy Initiative by IFBF created the Iowa Farm Bureau Director of Biorenewables Program faculty position, a post currently held by Robert Brown. This gift has provided the funding to support staffing and research and has been instrumental in retaining Brown at Iowa State.

IFBF is a grassroots, statewide organization dedicated to enhancing the “people, progress, and pride of Iowa.”

Published March 2011