| SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 -- Is the Grange the original diverse and inclusive organization, or just past its prime? If we look into the history of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grange, our founders believed that we are a diverse and inclusive organization. The Installation of Officers tells us so. “The Order of Patrons of Husbandry is the only association whose teachings accompany its members in their daily pursuits.” Further it reads, “Nor does our Order interfere with his religious, or political views, by the morality it seeks the highest standard.” Further it reads, “We ask none to join us who cannot see good in their fellow beings, but to all interested in agriculture, who have generous hearts and open hands to help the needy, raise the fallen, and aid in making the labors of this life cheerful, we say, “Welcome to the Grange.” This to me is what Grange values are, and this has inspired many people to join the Grange, that we all love.
In the beginning only men joined the Patrons of Husbandry. After five years and a donation from niece Caroline Hall, women were added to officers with four officers that can only be women. Thus, we are the oldest fraternal organization with both men and women as one group. The founders wrote, “Discarding the principles which excludes woman from a knowledge of the mysteries, we open wide the door and bid her welcome. In so doing we claim a high precedent, for God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone.”
Through the years, the Grange has voiced and fought for many struggles in fair prices for grains, tariffs placed against farm products, conservation efforts to tame rivers, soils, and wildfires, though legislation, rallies, educational programs, and local gatherings. Our women also rallied to get the 19th Amendment, the right for women to vote passed. We also got Rural Free Delivery of mail, Rural Electrification, and many other programs to rural America.
It’s said that the Grange met its goals in the 1950’s and that new goals were never raised to meet the needs of the nation. Television came into homes and the decline of members started because Grange events and social activities were not able to bring out new and regular members, only the Fairs and Grange Dinners still held the ties to the Grange until every group had dinners and squeezed out the Grange diners. With the loss of insurance for members, many left the Grange and joined the Farm Bureau for insurance. Many years the Grange and Farm Bureau never worked together on legislative issues in which both groups were in agreement. We just stayed in our own lanes. Today even the Farm Bureau is struggling for members, their Advisory has now turned into an insurance sales group.
The Farm Bill is delayed again. The Great New Bill has made deep cuts into SNAP (food stamps). The Federal Government has said it’s not the problem of the Federal government to feed the unemployed, disabled and children... it’s the state’s problem. States do not raise enough taxes to cover this expense but if the Federal minimum wage was raised to $15 per hour, many low income earners would not need SNAP aid. We are not here to be cruel to our neighbors and fellow citizens. Just remember urban legislators vote for the Farm Bill because of SNAP and rural legislators vote for the Farm Bill because of the farm products bought from local farms for SNAP. Both sides win. We need to work together, or we will all suffer.
A lot of resolutions will be considered at State Session in October. Please remember the charge of the State Master, “Rely upon your calmness in deliberation, your forbearance toward those who may differ from you, and your charity toward their motives.” Let’s have a great session and see you in October.
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