Now, more than ever, it is imperative that producers structure their operations to plan for a changing ag environment. Opportunities exist in the tax arena that allow producers to plan and thrive through the difficult times, prepare for growth and the future good times, and position themselves to successfully transition their operations to the next generation.

Discover the circumstances causing a worldrenowned environmentalist leading the fight against biotechnology in the United Kingdom to change his mind. Learn how he is working to change the tide of public opinion back as he works around the world on GMO projects and speaks out about “why GMOs really are green.” Hear what’s happening now and how farmers can use the lessons Mr. Lynas has learned to win this battle.

Misapplication of environmental laws by government officials has had a severe, negative impact on farmers and ranchers. Whether under the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act or the Clean Air Act, regulatory agencies have forgotten that their responsibility is to follow the law, which includes the recognition that individual citizens and businesses alike have rights and interests that are protected under the Constitution and must be respected. Pacific Legal Foundations expert Jonathan Wood will lay out some of the important lawsuits that are shaping the law today and how that will impact how you farm and ranch tomorrow.

Does your family have a communicated plan for management and ownership continuity?

If not, you should plan to attend this session. In this workshop, you will learn the seven stumbling blocks to generational transition and learn how to overcome them. You will also learn the questions you need to ask to get the transition planning conversation started.

Generational transition planning...there’s an app for that!

Each participant will be given a free code to download the “Inspired Questions For Farmers” app. This tool will give you the guidance you need to begin the process. Can’t wait to help your family get started on this important process!

Come listen to Ms. Downey present the history of the evolution of ag, review today’s structure and forecast tomorrow’s industry. Hear this story unfold through the idea of GLIMPSE, the only researched and published feed survey in the industry, and explore the power of supermarkets and how they will shape the future of our industry.

In this workshop, Mr. Brugler will discuss U.S. and global trends in crop production and demand. He will provide his expert analysis and opinion on what farmers can expect in markets for major row crop commodities.

Those linked to the food industry in the last 20+ years have seen significant changes and developments from a food safety perspective. Twenty or more years ago, allergens were not on the radar, E. coli and other pathogens were 18 not dominating the headlines and food recalls were not on the nightly news. Fast forward to today, allergens are the number one reason for food recalls, pathogens such E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella account for nearly half of all foodborne illness hospitalizations and deaths of consumers, and food recalls are found on the front page of newspapers.

9/11 also changed the food industry. While the food industry was not attacked by terrorists, food manufacturers are developing food defense programs, and regulation for food defense is here.

What does all this mean for farmers and growers? Food manufacturers are looking further upstream in their supply chains to determine what food safety or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are being implemented and evaluating possible risks that may impact the products they produce. Today’s farmers and growers can expect more oversight by their customers and are seeing regulation, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act, impacting some of their operations. In order to produce a safe product for the consumer, food safety and GAP are a necessary part for all those involved in the food industry from “Farm to Fork.”

Come learn from 4th generation farmer Robert Blair, who has 10 years of pioneering and practical experience using drones since his first flight in 2006. Known as the UnmannedFarmer, Mr. Blair will show examples of how he has innovatively used drones to help drive farm management decisions during the growing season on his farm. Mr. Blair’s presentation will provide you with a good sense of the realities of using drones and why every Farm Bureau member needs to be engaged in the drone discussion.

In this workshop, Dr. Meyer will discuss U.S. and global trends in livestock and poultry production and demand, providing his expert analysis and opinion on what farmers can expect in these markets in the upcoming year.

Ambassador Vetter will highlight the importance of agricultural trade to U.S. agriculture and to the world. Specific emphasis will be placed on the role of trade agreements in expanding marketing opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations.

CFI research shows the larger the food company or farm, the less likely the public is to believe the operation shares their values and the more likely it is that they believe profit will be placed ahead of public interest. How do we overcome this bias? CFI focus groups and other secondary research tell us that transparency is important to building trust. But what exactly is transparency? How do we use it to build trust? Our model for trustbuilding transparency can serve as a roadmap to effectively address growing skepticism about today’s food.