Just months ago, Meridian became the third city in Idaho with a population above 100,000. Last week the City Council estimated the current city population at 114,000 and then 164,000 by 2024. 

 

As Meridian grows Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance is growing with population demands and opened its third insurance office on Overland and Eagle Road.

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91-year-old Jimmy James, a Farm Bureau member for 72 years, cut the ribbon at a new Farm Bureau Agency in Meridian this past week.

"I joined the Idaho Farm Bureau back in 1947, " said James. "My folks and I were one of the first Farm Bureau members," James says back in those days it was hard for farmers to get crop insurance and Farm Bureau was formed by farmers to insure crops. "Farming was risky and few dared to farm without insurance, you could lose everything." Farm Bureau started small and grew up with the state. "It was Farm Bureau and we were farmers, it's all we had," he said.

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The Farm Bureau's success and continued growth in Idaho can be attributed to the fact that the company continues to keep up with the growth, embracing technology and listening to the needs of the more than 80-thousand members.

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Agent Kerry Baxter says the company has been around more than seven decades. "In all those years we have ventured out, not only with crop insurance but everything, was a multi-line agency, we cover everything that all these members bring in to us in the Boise market and Meridian area this whole valley in fact. A lot of city stuff and that's what we specialize in," added Baxter.

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"Our products are very broad," said Regional Executive Brent Hunter. "There's not a whole lot we cannot cover. A lot of people like to have a one-stop-shop with our products and we are able to be that for them."

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Idaho Farm Bureau continues to grow in part because agents know Idaho, they grew up here and that gives them the edge.

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"We've lived here in Meridian for 30 years, we have watched Idaho grow. We embrace the growth and the changes and we are here to help families during this time," said Gilbert Tuning.

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This is the third Farm Bureau office opening in Meridian.

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