Convention Agenda

• Welcome & Call to Order – Rob Larew, NFU President 
• National Anthem 
• Secretary & Treasurer Reports 
• Nominations for President and Vice President 
• Weathering the Financial Storm: Practical Strategies for Today’s Farm Economy 
  • Farmers and ranchers are navigating one of the most challenging financial environments in recent memory. From volatile markets and rising input costs to tightening margins and uncertain policy landscapes, the pressure is real. In this main-stage session, Jessica Groskopf, Extension Educator with the University of Nebraska Lincoln, will share what she’s seeing on the ground and the practical advice she’s giving producers right now. This conversation will focus on actionable financial strategies, key indicators to watch, and steps farmers can take to strengthen their operations in the face of continued uncertainty 
• What Comes Next: Rethinking Farm and Food Policy 
  • After three extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill and a few big changes to conservation programs, nutrition assistance, and the farm safety net, the political outlook for a new farm bill is cloudy at best. Now is the time to think big about what the future of farm and food policy can and should be. Three experts will describe today’s situation and offer ideas and concepts for a stronger farm bill in the years ahead.
  • Janie Hipp
  • Jonathan Coppess
  • Dr. Joe Outlaw
  • Laici Neumann

AGRIMEDIC training is to design, develop, implement, and evaluate training programs for emergency providers and agricultural workers to reduce mortality, injury, and property loss resulting from agricultural emergencies. 

This training course significantly impacts outcomes with response and recovery through hands-on and collaborative efforts with farmers and ranchers. 

The AGRIMEDIC Training session is provided by the Southeastern Louisiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC). 

Family farmers and ranchers rely on information and tools generated and supplied by many major federal scientific and research agencies. USDA is the leading department serving farmers, but many others – including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – are also essential. Farmers rely on the information and expertise at these agencies day-to-day (e.g. for weather data and forecasts), while benefiting from their research and innovation over the long term. Join for a panel discussion exploring the work of these agencies, their connection to family farm agriculture, and what is being done to advance their work. 

Sponsored by Knowledge for a Competitive America

• Allison Bredder - Strategic Engagement Officer, NASA Acres 
• Dave Turner – Senior Scientist, NOAA Global Systems Laboratory 
• Harmon Wilts - Farmer, H&G Farms 
• John Sokich - Director, NOAA National Weather Service Congressional Affairs (Retired) 
• Pamitha Weerasinghe – Director, Knowledge for a Competitive America (Moderator)

Join Tom and Kate Giessel for a historical exploration of the Southern origins of Farmers Union and the critical need for farmers to organize, educate, and create cooperative markets for their products. This session will highlight how education, cooperative enterprise, and community organizing helped farmers respond to unstable markets and unequal power structures, while also confronting the region’s racial and social tensions. 

• Welcome, Invocation
• Meritorious Service Award
• Remarks, NFU President Rob Larew