Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by AFBF President Zippy Duvall

Good morning and welcome to the American Farm Bureau Convention!

Before I dive into my speech, I want to try something since we're here in Texas.

I have a friendly little bet with my staff that if I start singing, you will all join in with me.

Don't let me down now. You ready?

"The stars at night, are big and bright!"

If you wanted to know where the Texas Farm Bureau members are, you heard them, and they are right over there.

I'm so pleased to be in the Lone Star state - your hospitality has been tremendous.

I'd like to recognize my wife, Jennifer.

I want to thank her and our entire family for their support. It means the world to me.

There is another special group of people I'd like to recognize today who are equally important to our Farm Bureau family.

They are the very heartbeat of our mighty federation - our county Farm Bureau presidents.

That's why I declared this past year "The Year of the County President."

I have been traveling to visit with county leaders across the country and hosted a special set of virtual townhall meetings just for our county presidents.

You might ask why? Because I know how hard you all work, and I want you to understand how important you are to this organization.

I know you don't ask to be recognized.

You serve because you love your farms and your communities.

I know firsthand how much work and dedication goes into your role because I have been there.

I loved my time as a county president in Greene County, Georgia.

Having an impact - making a real difference - begins with you, at the local level.

Whether you're giving back to your communities or helping farmers pick up the pieces from a storm, you are the heartbeat of the federation.

And when people are excited about their local Farm Bureau, amazing things happen, because it's contagious.

Right here in Texas, there's a county that has grown every single year - get this - for 75 years!

DeWitt County is a small but mighty county. They are proof you sure don't have to be the biggest to make a difference.

I want to congratulate their president, Joseph Warwus. Way to go, Joseph! Please stand and be recognized.

With growth comes energy and enthusiasm and that, my friends, becomes the secret sauce to make a difference for our families, neighbors and our communities.

I've had the privilege of seeing firsthand some of the remarkable things happening across our country, driven by our county Farm Bureaus.

From food drives to field days.

School visits to scholarships.

County fairs to Capitol meetings. Farm Bureau is there.

And at the center of it all, our county presidents are organizing and inspiring. They are stepping up from sea to shining sea to make Farm Bureau the premier organization in their communities.

I'd like to share just a few examples of what this leadership looks like. And I say "a few," because there are thousands of you doing this work, every day, and I applaud every one of you.

But, it's also nice to share the personal stories of local leaders making the magic happen.

In the Southern region, Megan DeHart from Mercer County, Kentucky, has taken her county to new heights. She spearheaded a social media campaign: #365Days Of Mercer County Ag. Every day, the county showcased the farms, the faces, and the families behind local agriculture.

The campaign was a big success and helped members of the community feel closer to farmers just down the road.

Megan's outreach goes far beyond that.

She found a way to connect Farm Bureau to underserved populations. She planted gardens at local rehab facilities and retirement homes. She couldn't bring the residents to the farm, so she brought the joy of farming to them.

Megan, will you please stand.

In the Northeast, Stewart Ramsey of New Castle County, Delaware, is a driving force for agriculture and strengthening ties within his community.

On the policy front, he successfully led efforts to reduce property taxes on farm structures, saving farmers thousands of dollars.

He is also investing in the next generation.

He coordinates with local school districts to bring students to his farm to learn where their food comes from.

And on top of all that, Stewart is always looking for new ways to connect his urban neighbors with local agriculture. That's why New Castle County Farm Bureau hosts community events like a Milk Run 5K and a Beef and Beer Fundraiser.

At Farm Bureau, we know there's nothing like a good meal to bring people together, and this one raised more than $15,000 last year.

And they did it by bringing folks in from outside their fencerows.

Good work, Stewart, please stand.

In the Midwest, Heather Mentzer of Allen County, Kansas, has been on a mission to refocus her county's advocacy and membership efforts. She created a survey to get input from her members on statewide issues, and to draw them in to be more actively engaged.

And it worked.

Heather organized a County Legislative Coffee to connect farmers with state legislators. From that very successful event flowed many other conversations and meetings.

But that's not all. She has also reached beyond her fencerows to join with other community organizations to become a force for good. Under her leadership, Allen County Farm Bureau sponsored events to strengthen mental wellness and ensure no one feels alone.

Heather, please stand up and be recognized for walking the walk when it comes to taking care of our Farm Bureau family.

Out in the West, Mark Lopez from Orange County, California, is the mastermind behind a transformative effort in his community.

He led his county Farm Bureau to create 9 farmers markets to bring fresh produce to several communities.

Here's the cool part: the proceeds are invested in the next generation. Orange County Farm Bureau has donated over $3 million to local youth ag education programs.

They've also set up several educational scholarships and donated another $100,000 to their local FFA chapter.

That's millions of dollars raised by one county Farm Bureau and invested in the community.

Wow, Mark! That's impressive, please stand and let us congratulate you.

This is who we are as Farm Bureau.

Local leaders giving back, lifting up our communities, and driving agriculture forward, supported, of course, by engaged members who make it possible.

And now, I would like all county presidents who are here to please stand so that we can recognize you and thank you all for your service.

I am so proud and inspired by each one of you out on the front lines Stepping Up and Driving Forward.

That is the farm and ranch spirit!

That is the Farm Bureau spirit.

Your American Farm Bureau team is also stepping up and leading in Washington on the policy priorities that you, our grassroots members, have set.

Just like it takes engaged members to be successful at the county level, we need them, and engaged state Farm Bureaus, to be successful at the national level.

Just last month, the power of the federation was on full display.

We successfully led the charge to ensure Congress recognizes how tough it is right now for farmers.

We flooded Congress with over 12,000 messages in 72 hours, urging action.

This led to $30 billion dollars to support farmers and ranchers at a critical time.

After losing an average of 77 farms per day for five years, something had to be done, and we did it.

We also had a huge win almost right out of the gate in 2024.

Remember that Securities and Exchange Commission rule that would have extended Wall Street regulations all the way to the farm? It was all but a done deal until thousands of you joined me to help the SEC understand that it would have been impossible for farmers to comply.

I never expected to get a personal phone call from the SEC chairman. No one in Washington believed we could impact a SEC rule. But we sure did.

Last spring, SEC reversed course. We won that battle.

Thank you for stepping up to help us send that message and so many others.

Here's a fun fact: In 2024 alone - one year's time - you sent nearly 50,000 contacts to Congress and federal agencies.

That's 50,000 individual calls, emails, letters and texts that you all sent.

I had to ask our staff to repeat it when they told me the number because I couldn't believe it.

That's a record during my time as president. And I'm really proud of your engagement.

Let's build on that, because we will need everyone to step up in 2025.

We are focused on the finish line for several other top issues.

You all know what a tough battle the farm bill has been. And, while we appreciate Congress passing another extension, we will not let up, despite lawmakers kicking the can down the road and making political excuses.

Tens of thousands of you stepped up to help, and you can bet we'll keep working together to get a modernized farm bill.

Everywhere I go across the country, I hear about your struggles to find skilled, reliable workers.

I hear you loud and clear about operating on razor-thin margins as labor costs rise.

I know it keeps you up at night wondering how you will provide for your family and keep providing jobs for the men and women who have become like family.

Your American Farm Bureau team is pressing House and Senate leaders to understand the urgency of ag labor reform.

And we've hosted fly-ins to D.C. where you've directly shared your personal and powerful stories.

It matters for our lawmakers to hear directly from you, so thank you.

We turned up the volume on the issue, and we have seen important steps taken. We helped a House task force develop ag labor recommendations, and we convinced the Department of Labor to come to the table and discuss short-term solutions.

Unfortunately, election politics stood in the way of more progress.

So, it's a good thing we came at the issue from multiple directions, including in the courts, and it paid off.

We helped convince a federal court to block an overreaching DOL rule related to H2-A workers.

I promise you we won't let up till we find a solution.

Another issue top of mind for all of us this year is tax reform.

Many of the tax provisions we rely on to keep our farms economically sustainable are expiring this year.

You shouldn't be left guessing from year to year whether you will get hit with a tax bill that could put your farm out of business.

Our leaders have promised to address it, and we are going to hold them to it. We'll keep making our voices heard on issues that matter to your farms and ranches.

And when we do so together, we truly make a difference.

There's plenty of proof of the influence we've had.

Remember when Washington was buzzing with talk of heavy-handed mandates related to sustainability and climate? That's when we stepped up to share our story and demonstrate agriculture's progress.

We formed a unique coalition of uncommon allies to ensure farmers are treated as partners and recognized for our stewardship. The result: voluntary, market-based incentives for climate-smart farming are now the standard in Washington.

We don't have harsh mandates like we see in Europe and other places around the world.

And we led the way in making it happen.

That's a real victory!

Another example of being proactive is the EPA's proposed listing of monarch butterflies as "threatened" instead of "endangered."

We engaged with EPA long ago on this matter to help them understand the potential impacts on agriculture. Their decision to list them as "threatened" recognizes the importance of flexibility in conservation efforts, instead of tying farmers' hands.

We'll keep working with EPA to ensure that they strike the right balance to protect wildlife and allow farmers to keep farming.

A central theme throughout the progress we've made is helping decision-makers understand the very real impact of laws and regulations on you and your farms.

They trust you.

The public trusts you.

And we're maximizing the power of your stories at every turn.

See for yourselves.

[VIDEO PLAYS]

When was the last time you heard a farmer say, "I enjoyed the EPA visiting my farm."

I really did enjoy having Venus on the farm and she had great questions.

Now, if I need to call her with a concern, it's going to be easy. That's the point. Relationships are the cornerstone of our success.

With a new Congress and new administration in Washington, it's an important time to engage with our leaders, and build relationships.

Many of them are not familiar with agriculture. And some of them have ideas that could set back years of progress in modern farming and food security.

How we engage with those skeptics of modern agriculture is tremendously important.

The truth is, we share many of the same values.

Of course we want to achieve healthier outcomes in America, but it's important to ground these conversations in science. Without real data, the results could send us backward.

Your voice - our voices - have never been more important.

Let's help America understand all the ways we've moved agriculture forward, all the tools needed to continue this success and our commitment - above all - to providing safe, healthy and affordable food for this country.

I know you are up to the challenge because you are stepping up in so many ways to move mountains.

It reminds of Mark chapter 11 verse 23, when Jesus says,

"Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain: 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them."

I believe that's true, and I believe in you.

You are strengthening our communities and our organization. And Farm Bureau is by your side each and every step of the way.

Through leadership development programs: we are working together to inspire, train and support strong leaders.

Through our Young Farmers and Ranchers program, young men and women across the country are giving back to their communities and preparing to lead Farm Bureau into the future.

With 36% of farmers now women, our Women's Leadership Committee is helping break through stereotypes about agriculture, showing that women are key decision-makers on the farm and in Farm Bureau.

And our Promotion and Education Committee is finding ways to connect with consumers and leaders outside of traditional ag spaces - on a myth-busting mission of their own.

Our Foundation team is on a roll, too.

They are providing the tools and training that educators need to help students understand agriculture.

They've set a big new goal that I applaud.

After seeing the success of our program that brings teachers on farms, they want to create a system-wide connection between agriculture and science education.

It's time for agricultural science to be added to curriculum across the country. Our Foundation is on fire to make it happen.

We want to inspire the next generation to play a role in the innovation that will drive agriculture forward. That begins in the classroom and our foundation is stepping up to be there.

These kinds of efforts take a lot of dedication-and sometimes a dose of courage.

Stepping up can be hard, especially if you are the first one taking that step.

We need more courageous leaders who are ready to raise their hands. Maybe someone in the audience today is thinking about taking on a big role or leading a new project.

Could it be you?

Could it be you?

I know it's hard to juggle all the demands on your time, but it's worth it. The sense of accomplishment that comes with a job well done is awesome.

Now, let me offer a challenge here. I've mentioned a lot of ways to step up across Farm Bureau.

How about you? Are there ways you can step up today?

Maybe you are like one of those leaders I mentioned earlier, and you are already stepping up in many ways-seen and unseen.

Thank you for that.

Let's take it one step further.

Find someone you can bring alongside you and encourage them on their Farm Bureau journey. What we are trying to achieve together is bigger than any one person.

Everyone sitting here today can look back on someone-a parent, grandparent, teacher or a coach. Someone who helped us see possibilities we wouldn't have dreamed of on our own.

Let's all look for ways to build others up.

That's how we get to the next level.

Driving Farm Bureau and our communities forward takes all of us. It takes you and me sharing our stories, and Farm Bureau's story.

I came to my first Farm Bureau meeting because my dad invited me. And I'd bet that everyone sitting here is here because someone invited you to your first meeting.

It's my hope that we all get excited about our local Farm Bureaus and all the good we can do together.

I bet if I asked you where I could find the best barbecue in Texas, hundreds of you would shout out your favorites.

What about when someone asks you about the best farm organization in your community?

The best leadership development in rural America?

The best grassroots advocacy organization in the country?

We have the answer: it's Farm Bureau.

The stories of outstanding county Farm Bureau presidents truly inspire me. They show the power of strong leadership to set a vision, build a team and make amazing things happen within our communities and our organization.

I am amazed.

When I walk through the County Activities of Excellence booths in the trade show, when I see the influence that our great organization has in Washington, D.C., and when I hear how you are giving back and making an incredible difference in your communities, then I know the future is bright.

Thank you for stepping up to drive agriculture and our communities forward in such amazing ways.

I'm proud to be a farmer and a Farm Bureau member alongside each of you.

We can move mountains when we work together.

We've all seen it.

So, let's go move some more mountains by stepping up and driving forward in 2025!

Thank you and God bless!

Enjoy convention, everyone!

What We're Saying

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Bailey Corwine
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