AFBF - American Farm Bureau Federation
01/29/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/29/2026 15:30
AFBF YF&R Conference Offers Unique Leadership Opportunity
Young farmers and ranchers will soon gather in Portland, Oregon for this year's AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference. Chad Smith has more.
Smith: Young farmers and ranchers should mark their calendars for March 13-16 for the upcoming Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference. Bev Flatt, a Tennessee farmer and member of the American Farm Bureau's YF&R Committee, said attendees will have a lot to look forward to.
Flatt: They gain hands-on leadership and professional development experience. There are workshops on real farm business challenges, like marketing and finance and succession planning, and then many of them have the opportunity to hear from some really inspiring speakers, both inside and outside of agriculture.
Smith: Flatt said this conference is unique because it's designed specifically for young farmers and ranchers.
Flatt: The content is really rooted in real-world ag challenges that face farmers between the ages of 18 and 35, so things like volatility, labor access, land access, and special regulations, and all the attendees already share common ground, so that leads to faster and deeper connections.
Smith: Based on her own experiences, Flatt said conference attendees will learn a lot.
Flatt: I found that it really helps to build confidence in communication and leadership skills and helps the participants really see themselves as advocates for agriculture. We get encouraged to think more strategically about our farms as businesses, not just our daily chores.
Smith: This year's conference will be held in Portland, Oregon. For more information, go to fb.org. Chad Smith, Washington.
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