The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry is a fraternal organization for American farmers that encourages farm families to band together for their common economic and political well-being. Founded in 1867 after the Civil War, it is the oldest surviving agricultural organization in America, though now much diminished from the over one million members it had in its peak in the 1890s through the 1950s. In addition to serving as a center for many farming communities, the Grange was an effective advocacy group for farmers and their agendas, including fighting railroad monopolies and advocating rural mail deliveries.

Today's Grange provides an opportunity to serve by providing leadership for local community service projects. Examples of some projects include organizing a softball league, providing hearing testing, building a community center, sponsoring a community fair, staffing an after school child care program, conducting a candidate debate and organizing voter registration drives. The Grange provides each member with a legislative voice at the local, state and national level. Members are part of a grassroots constituency enabling them to effectively express their views and influence legislative policy at the highest levels of government. The Grange is nonpartisan, but it vigorously encourages member participation in the political process (excerpted from National Grange homepage, http://www.nationalgrange.org/about/history.html, accessed July 2010).