Benefit Criteria

Overview for interested businesses
The Idaho Farm Bureau Federation has over 80,000 member families in Idaho and many of these members are consumers in your town. Because of our membership size, the Idaho Farm Bureau has a long-standing “member benefits” program that currently promotes the products and services of over 70 regional, statewide, and national businesses to our membership. In 2017, we opened the gates to allow local businesses to also participate as member benefit providers.

Why would a business want to be an Idaho Farm Bureau member benefit provider?
Localized benefit partnerships are cost neutral. A local business would not pay Farm Bureau anything and Farm Bureau would not pay the local business anything. Instead, the Idaho Farm Bureau would include that local business in its member benefits websites, booklets, member benefit mailers, magazines, and at events at no cost to the local business. In return, the local business would put together some type of discount or package for Farm Bureau members who show a valid Farm Bureau membership card or proof of insurance. Other validation methods can be arranged if it works out better for the local business. Current partners can be seen at www.idahofbstore.com.

What is the process to explore a partnership?
There is no application to fill out. Businesses simply visit with Idaho Farm Bureau’s Member Benefits Manager, Joel Benson, and discuss ways that a cost-neutral partnership could benefit both companies. When a decision is made to create a partnership, a simple one-page agreement is signed that gives the Idaho Farm Bureau permission to market that local business to its members.

What kind of partnerships work best? Below are the primary questions the Idaho Farm Bureau asks.

1. Is the product or service a genuine interest to Idaho Farm Bureau members? 

Companies providing products and services that consumers spend money on every year seem to be our most successful partners. Companies who have name recognition are also successful, but it is not required.

2. Does the partnership offer real value to the local business and local members?
We ask that all partners demonstrate that they have competitive pricing before offering an Idaho Farm Bureau incentive. No set discount amount is required, but this will be discussed when setting up each partnership.

3. Can the company offer an Idaho Farm Bureau deal for multiple years?
With over 80,000 Idaho Farm Bureau member families in Idaho, it can take months or years to get word out to everyone about a new benefit and even longer to announce that a benefit has been discontinued. For this purpose, we desire to work with local businesses that are firmly established.

4. Can the local business be patient while the marketing process takes place?
The Idaho Farm Bureau has watched over 80 partnerships launched and sometimes our members respond quickly and sometimes not so quickly. The good news is that a local business is not out any financial investment while waiting for the process to take place. We have seen growth in many programs, but it requires time for people to discover a new benefit and then act on that marketing.

Contact Joel Benson
Manager Of Member Benefits & Digital Marketing
(208) 239-4289 jbenson@idahofb.org