Grange Announces Major Renewal Effort, Initiates ‘Action Granges’
WASHINGTON, D.C. The
National Grange Executive
Committee recently announced
that it would pursue a major de
velopment initiative aimed at
creating a relevant, preeminent
growing organization. The an
nouncement was made after a
year long study by a Strategic
Planning Task Force made up of
a select group of members work
ing with a consultant in organi
zational change.
Under the provisions of these
recommendations, 115 local
community Granges in 23 states
will become Action Granges and
assume the leadership of a strate
gic renewal process lasting up to
three years. Action Granges will
identify, test and approve pro
grams designed to create a grow
ing, relevant, preeminent family
organization.
The National Grange Strategic
Planning Task Force announced
the selection after a four-month
review of potential Action
Grange participants. Changes in
the National Grange organiza
tion and its headquarters opera
tions in Washington are also
under way and will be an
nounced later.
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According to Kermit Richard
son, National Master, “We have
known for some time now that
the Grange needed to make some
major and fundamental changes
at every level of the organization
to survive as a leading, national
organization. The changing
make up of American Society,
particularly in the areas of farm
ing and agriculture which
were our roots meant that we
were overdue for a look at the
real relevance of our organiza
tion and its appeal to 21st cen
tury members. We discovered,
through the efforts of the Task
Force, that we needed to change
in some very fundamental ways
or we would not survive. These
changes were outlined to the Ex
ecutive Committee in the fall of
2000.
“The decision to create and
support Action Granges to create
programs at the local level has
been supported by a strategic re
view of the National Grange and
the consideration of significant
change at this level as well. We
believe the appointment and em
powerment of these Action
Granges represent a critical first
step in the renewal of the Grange
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and have characterized this as a
great experiment within one of
the Nation’s most respected or
ganizations aimed at creating a
new Grange that meets the needs
of its 21st century members.”
Richardson continued, “Over
the next several years, we are
going to establish programs that
will work because they have been
tested by our Action Granges. As
soon as a program has passed
this litmus test as workable in the
community Grange, it will be
made available to all Granges.
We are going to develop pro
grams and procedures that in
crease our relevance and appeal,
eliminate all barriers to joining,
improve all of our programs, so
lidify our financial and organiza
tional capabilities and improve
the quality of our leaders at every
level.”
The initial renewal effort will
focus on developing leadership
skills at every level of the
Grange. In making its recom
mendations to the National
Grange Executive Committee,
the consultant and the Task
Force concluded, “Leadership
development must be the number
one priority of the Grange and
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will the cornerstone of it’s the re
newal effort. Only when leaders
at every level of the organization
really understand that the future
is their responsibility, will the
Grange take those actions
needed to secure its survival of
the organization.
The Task Force noted that the
declining membership in the
Grange parallels declines in most
organizations, but realized early
on that the Grange’s focus on the
entire family and its involvement
in the community through the
local Grange, gave it a distinct
advantage over other organiza
tions. The Grange’s legacy in
supporting agriculture will not be
lost, but will be expanded to sup
port the needs of all Americans
in rural and urban commu
nities.”
Under an agreement reached
with the Executive Committee
Multi-State Small Farmer Exposition
And Trade Show Coming Fall 2001
STROUDSBURG (Monroe
Co.) Rutgers University and
Penn State University along with
a committee of producers, agri
culture industry representatives,
trade associations, development
and tourism organizations have
developed and will be conducting
the first NE Regional Small
Farm and Rural Living Exposi
tion and Trade Show this fall.
The event will be held Satur
day and Sunday, Sept. 22 and 23,
at the west End Fairgrounds,
near Stroudsburg, in the foothills
of the Poconos. This location is
ideal, as it is convenient to reach
via the Pennsylvania Turnpike
and Interstate Route 80 from all
directions.
The goal of the two day event
is to provide a trade show of
businesses, associations, agencies
and others that service small
farms and rural residents, and to
conduct pertinent demonstra
tions, educational workshops and
classes.
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and with the approval of State
Masters, Action Granges will be
given significant freedom to ex
periment and try new ideas. This
is not limited to new ways of at
tracting and retaining members.
According to Position Papers
produced by the Task Force and
approved by the Executive Com
mittee, Action Granges will be
able to take whatever reasonable
steps they need to increase the
relevance and appeal of their
local organization.
In all Action Granges, secrecy
will be eliminated and meetings
will be open to all. Action
Granges will be encouraged to
build and implement new pro
grams that have broad appeal to
the entire family, eliminate those
that have not worked, improve
their financial and organization
structure, and improve the quali
ty of the leadership of their com
munity-centered organization.
Sixteen hours of classes and
workshop are planned. Classes
will cover various small farm en
terprises including Christmas
Tree production, bees and honey
production, boarding horses, for
estry and dozens more. Over 25
hours of demonstrations are
planned in the areas of animal
agriculture, small farm equip
ment, Crop production, horticul
ture, fencing, etc.
The Northeast Small Farm
and Rural Living Exposition and
Trade Show will provide attend
ees the opportunity to contact
businesses and organizations that
service the rural and small farm
community and acquire knowl
edge and skills to improve their
small farms and the quality of
country life.
If you would like more inform
ation about the event, contact
Greg Solt, Penn State Coopera
tive Extension, Gracedale Com
plex, Nazareth, PA 18064, (610)
746-1970, or visit the Website at
www.smallfarmexpo.org.
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