Remarks as Prepared by President Zippy Duvall: 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention

Good morning!! Welcome to Anaheim!

I hope you're enjoying your time here in Southern California.

My wife Jennifer and I went on a walk just in time to see the sunset the other day. What an amazing sight - seeing the beauty of God's creation!

And everybody is so friendly in California. While we were out, someone came up and asked for my autograph. I was surprised a stranger would want the autograph of a simple farmer from Georgia. So, I signed the paper, and the guy said, "Thank you, Mr. Devito. I loved you in Taxi!"

Truly, I am so grateful to be here with you all at the American Farm Bureau Convention. We love the Farm Bureau family.

Speaking of family, I'd like to invite Jennifer and my daughter Zellie to stand. Thank you all for being here and for your love and support year-round.

I am grateful to ALL OF YOU - our FARM BUREAU family - for being here, too.

We have faced some tough times across agriculture this year, and there's no sugarcoating that.

It's real and I know it has been difficult for many of you.

But every farmer has a seed of optimism that we plant as we look to the future. We make it from one season to the next because optimism is part of our DNA.

That's why I love our theme for this convention: Imagine. Grow. Lead. It captures what we do across agriculture and Farm Bureau.

Imagination helps us envision what is possible for our families, our farms and our communities.

Imagination has brought some incredible innovations to agriculture - from smarter farm equipment that helps us be more precise, to better treatments that help us fight disease in crops and livestock.

And we need to keep imagining to drive forward.

If we're going to be ready for the challenges of tomorrow, we need the brightest minds and the hardest workers finding solutions today.

That's why I feel so strongly about empowering young leaders in agriculture.

Last year, you might recall that I shined the spotlight on county presidents.

This year, I'd like to encourage and celebrate our young leaders.

Thank you for making agriculture and your communities a priority. You may be just starting out on your leadership journey in one of the youth or professional development organizations.

Wherever you are on that journey, I want you to know that your Farm Bureau family is here for you and cheering you on.

I challenge you to unleash your imagination HERE.

TODAY.

Imagine how you can help your community. Imagine your next steps on your leadership journey.

I hope you take full advantage of your time at this convention to meet with other leaders and to learn how the Farm Bureau family is growing and giving back.

Our trade show floor is full of examples of innovative programs and businesses that are helping shape agriculture.

I hope every session you attend, every booth you visit, and every conversation you have, sparks your imagination about the future of agriculture - and the role you can play in getting us there.

Imagination isn't just for the young, either.

When we stop imagining, we stop growing.

So, to the young at heart - let's all imagine what we can achieve together.

I'll admit, imagining the possibilities is not easy when we are facing real challenges.

Some of you may be imagining how you will get through this tough economy.

As farmers, we know that if we can get past the tough times, we can grow back stronger.

Take pruning season for example. I know we have a lot of fruit growers here, and this is the time of year you are trimming back branches. Those trees and vineyards can look pretty bleak right now. But you prune to allow room for new growth, because you can imagine how much more fruitful those trees and vines will be in just a few months.

I know times are tough for many of you, and sometimes, we can barely see beyond today.

So how can we reimagine ways to help all farmers thrive?

We can start with our families and communities.

A healthy farm starts with a healthy you. That's why Farm Bureau has been a leader in bringing resources to farmers and rural communities.

Through Farm State of Mind, we are now leading an alliance across agriculture to ensure every farmer can get the help he or she needs.

And this work is saving lives.

When Steve Breeding faced heartbreaking loss on his farm, he felt hopeless. But his Farm Bureau family showed up and reminded him that he is not alone.

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Steve, would you stand? Thank you for sharing your story.

It took a lot of courage for Steve to share his story.

I'm confident it will help others.

Remember it's okay not to be okay, but it's not okay to not talk about it.

When times are tough, we must remember that we can come back stronger.

Farmers and Farm Bureau have survived the years, decades, and centuries thanks to the imagination and innovation of men and women just like you.

Can you imagine what is next on the horizon for your farm? For agriculture?

What an opportunity we have to imagine the possibilities and to grow a brighter future.

With growth comes the responsibility to set an example and to lead.

It's important for every farmer to have a seat at the table in Farm Bureau.

That is why we must develop young leaders and give them the tools and opportunities they need.

Getting involved was one of the best decisions I made as a young farmer. And I could not have imagined the growth I would experience as a farmer and as a leader.

If we're going to ensure that our farms and Federation grow into the future, we need to invest in tomorrow's leaders, today.

Farm Bureau's leadership development programs are doing just that: growing leaders and strong advocates for agriculture.

Our YF&R program is giving young and beginning farmers a place to grow, learn from their peers, and lead agriculture forward.

The Women's Leadership Committee has expanded advocacy training for our women leaders, who make up 36% of today's farmers and ranchers.

And they have some exciting plans to recognize the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

Our Promotion and ENGAGEMENT Committee, now more than a decade old, is blasting through barriers in places like New York City and across the country to connect with consumers.

That work is so important, especially with an increased interest in food ingredients and how our food is grown.

The rise of MAHA, the Make America Healthy Again movement, presents an opportunity - and really a mandate - to engage with the administration, lawmakers and consumers.

We all want to see healthier outcomes for our families and communities, but we need leaders to make decisions that are grounded in science.

At Farm Bureau, it's our responsibility to explain what farmers are doing every day to grow a safe, healthy food supply-and, boy, did we go to work!

We went into overdrive to tell the story of how farmers across the country are doing amazing work to produce safe food and care for our land.

The buzzword here used to be sustainability. Now, it's regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative and sustainable are just popular words for practices that many farmers have been using for decades to grow more with less and to protect our soil.

Conservation efforts are a continuous journey, and that journey looks different depending upon the region, soil type, and crop.

But one thing remains the same-our commitment to the land.

Farmers like Ryan Britt of Missouri are a great example of that.

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Ryan is here today. Ryan, will you stand and be recognized?

Hats off to you and everyone who is committed to doing right by the land as we feed America.

As your American Farm Bureau leads the way engaging on MAHA, we also brought agriculture together for a campaign called "Growing a Healthier America."

Together, we are growing a better understanding of agriculture.

Every conversation, every engagement bridges the gap-from stories on social media to meetings at your statehouse, and even the White House.

We believe it's critical for consumers and lawmakers to hear straight from farmers. In fact, we brought farmer-members to the White House to share their stories about what modern farming looks like.

And we were told it was one of the most impactful in a long line of meetings on MAHA. Because of our approach, we saw a real shift between the first MAHA Commission report and the second.

That didn't just happen-it took strategic engagement.

And that's how we make a difference.

This year, we also brought our state Farm Bureau presidents and national committee chairs to the White House to engage with cabinet members.

That's the first time our entire Farm Bureau leadership group has been invited to the White House to meet with the most influential people in the country.

That same week, I had the opportunity to sit down in the Oval Office with the president of the United States.

What a week for Farm Bureau!

I was humbled to be there speaking for you, as your American Farm Bureau president.

And, let me tell you, I was very frank with President Trump about the challenges we are facing.

I made it clear that Farm Bureau policy supports trade, not tariffs.

I shared that farmers are ready to reach more markets with American-grown products.

Thank you for trusting me to be your voice.

It takes working together across our federation to have this kind of influence, and it takes years of leadership development and advocacy training to be ready for these opportunities.

Your Farm Bureau leaders were trained and ready to answer the call.

I can't tell you how valuable that is for all of agriculture as we stand up, and speak up, for our farms and for our families.

No two ways about it - Farm Bureau is a leader in our nation's capital.

I'm proud of our team at American Farm Bureau and our outsized footprint in Washington, D.C.

And when we lead by example, we make a real difference for our farms and rural communities.

Last year, we advocated for the renewal of critical tax provisions for our farm and ranch businesses. Without these provisions, farm families could have seen an increase of 9 to 20% on their tax bills.

We also saw a big win with the estate tax that exempts most farm families. This will help us pass our farms on to the next generation.

Farm Bureau has also been a leader in advocating for a new, modernized farm bill.

While Congress keeps kicking the can down the road, we've kept the pressure on to ensure farmers and ranchers have the support they need to stay afloat.

We advocated for long-overdue changes to risk management programs - and Congress delivered through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It's a historic investment of nearly $70 billion to modernize the farm programs farmers depend upon.

We still need a new farm bill, and we will keep holding Congress accountable to deliver that and other critical support for agriculture.

With the toughest farm economy we've seen in a generation, we know our leaders need to hear from us about what relief is needed in the short- and long-term.

We sent a letter to Congress and the president outlining those needs, including a short-term bridge payment.

Last month, the president announced a $12 billion bridge program to help farm families hang on.

We are grateful for that support.

It is definitely needed in farm country, but the losses are much deeper than that. More support is still needed to cover the TENS of billions lost over the last couple years.

We also know that one billion for specialty crops isn't enough.

We will continue to work with Congress to bring the relief you need.

We also made it clear what long-term actions they can take to help your families survive this season and grow in the next.

One clear opportunity we addressed with the White House is making E15 available year-round. This would expand the market for farmers and deliver real cost savings to consumers at the pump.

A clear win-win.

Additionally, we called for new trade agreements, and purchasing U.S.-grown food for the military and our school children.

We also called for whole milk in schools, which Congress has now passed.

This is our job as your voice in Washington: to bring solutions to the table.

We had a big win for agriculture with the new WOTUS rule.

Farm Bureau has been a leading advocate for a rule that protects critical water sources while respecting farmers' conservation efforts.

Thanks to your hard work, and the strength of this Federation, we now have clear rules for clean water.

We have seen some positive movement on labor, too.

Every time I meet with leaders and lawmakers, I remind them that the number one crisis facing farms across our country is lack of labor.

We achieved changes to the H-2A wage rate. This brought much-needed relief to many farmers who were facing skyrocketing wage mandates.

We don't take these steps for granted.

Those are hard-fought victories. Those are YOUR victories too.

But we still have our eyes on the goal - agricultural labor reform that works on all types and all sizes of farms in every state.

Effective advocacy takes leadership and speaking up for what matters.

It takes finding common ground and working together for solutions.

I'm so proud of Farm Bureau members who take their leadership journey to the next level by running for public office.

And American Farm Bureau is at their side providing nonpartisan training and resources to help more farmers, ranchers and rural Americans serve in public office.

We call it Campaign School, and thousands of candidates running for local, state and congressional offices have come through this training.

The results, over the last four decades, speak for themselves: an average of 84% of graduates have been elected.

84%!

That's pretty impressive.

That's also proof that no matter where you are on your leadership journey, Farm Bureau has something for you.

To our young leaders in the room: what can you do today to help make your community and our country a better place?

After my late wife, Bonnie, and I won the Young Farmer of the Year Award, we came back to our county Farm Bureau, inspired.

I wanted us to be the best county in the state! You see - leaders don't just sit back, waiting to be called on.

Yes, sometimes you might get tapped on the shoulder and asked to serve, but we need leaders who imagine how we can be better, and look for ways to grow.

We need leaders who raise their hands and say, "I'm here. Put me in, Coach."

That's just what Stuart Beam and Sofia Lilly did when Hurricane Helene hit their home state of North Carolina …

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They are also here with us today. Stuart and Sofia, will you stand so that we can recognize you?

I am so moved by your selfless efforts.

Across Farm Bureau, we see stories like this, and I'm proud that kind of service is just who we are.

But that doesn't mean it's easy.

Leaders understand that there are costs and sacrifices when it comes to serving.

Leadership will take all you can give - and then some.

It isn't something you take on for yourself - leaders are driven to help and serve others. They believe in their hearts that giving their all can - and will - make a difference. Maybe not today - and maybe not even next week or next year - but how you lead right now matters.

Leaders step out in faith, trusting that every step will help carry us forward.

I am reminded of the scripture in Isaiah: "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."

You might be feeling faint some days, but you are not alone. You are surrounded by a Farm Bureau family who believes in you.

Can you imagine what we can achieve together?

Can you imagine a better time to start than today?

We stand ready to work with you to achieve great things for our communities and our country.

That passage in Isaiah goes on to say: "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary: they shall walk and not faint."

Farm Bureau family, we can run, and we can soar.

When we Imagine, Grow and Lead together, we are a powerful force for good!

Thank you and God bless!

Press Contacts

Mike Tomko
Director, Communications
(202) 406-3642
[email protected]

Bailey Corwine
Communications Manager
(202) 406-3643
[email protected]