Drive trust in farmers, trust in food at the 2024 Stakeholders Summit

Drive trust in farmers, trust in food at the 2024 Stakeholders Summit

Last chance to score the lowest registration rates; save your seat by March 8

March 6, 2024 – Joel Leftwich, chief strategy officer at Kansas Farm Bureau and president of the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, is teeing off the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2024 Stakeholders Summit with a session on driving trust in farmers and food by engaging directly with voters. The 2024 Summit, themed “Ready, Set, Solve! Advancing Animal Agriculture,” is slated for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Mo. Register by March 8 to take advantage of the lowest registration rates: https://bit.ly/AAA24.

Members of the food and agriculture community understand the challenges and opportunities that define the sector. While this audience often looks to elected officials for action to protect or advance the needs of the agriculture community, it tends to overlook engaging directly with voters. Research consistently highlights the trust that citizens place in farmers and ranchers as credible sources of information regarding policies that affect the food supply. In his keynote, Leftwich will explore the value of trust as a currency in the democratic process, and how to position farmers and ranchers as influential voices for informed decision-making. Leftwich’s keynote is sponsored by broadhead. + Filament.

“Animal rights groups are consistently using voter-led initiatives to further their agenda of ending animal agriculture by adding burdens to farmers and ranchers that in turn raise the cost of meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood in the grocery store,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Engaging directly with the public to assist them in making sound voting decisions can help to spare farmers and ranchers from having to make the difficult decision of whether to stay in business, and grocery shoppers from deciding whether they can afford to feed their family animal protein as part of a nutritious meal. Joel’s session will provide insights into how we can better partner with state and local organizations to engage voters before these initiatives pass and we’re all left to navigate the ramifications.”

Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) in 2021, Leftwich worked in Washington, D.C. for nearly 20 years with public and private sector experience in food and agriculture policy. Leftwich spent most of his time as staff to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) serving in his personal office and then on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as majority staff director. He also worked for Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture during President George W. Bush’s administration. His private sector experience includes positions with global food and agriculture companies PepsiCo and DuPont. As chief strategy officer for Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich works with organizational leadership and members to develop and implement new programs and strategies to accomplish KFB’s mission. This includes initiatives like the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, a 501(c)4 organization focused on public education of the importance of keeping the U.S. food supply safe and affordable. Leftwich received his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Friends University and a master’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago in political science.

The annual Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media.

2024 Summit attendees can make their commute to the event each day even easier by booking their hotel rooms at the InterContinental at the Plaza Hotel. All Summit events will be held at this hotel. Rooms can be booked through April 12 for a discounted rate. Reserve a room here.

Thank you to our 2024 Summit sponsors: Farm Journal, Meatingplace, Successful Farming, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Watt Global Media, Cargill, Zoetis, American Feed Industry Association, broadhead. + Filament, Merck, United Soybean Board, Dairy MAX, Farm Credit Council, National Pork Producers Council, Pet Advocacy Network, Smithfield Foods, United Egg Producers, American Farm Bureau Federation, Cal-Maine Foods, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Kemin, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Pork Board, Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care, Progressive Dairy, Protect the Harvest, Sustainable Environmental Consultants, Trans Ova Genetics, American Veal Association, Eggland’s Best, North Carolina Farm Bureau, and Vivayic.

Get involved:

Maximize your brand visibility and impact by becoming a sponsor of the 2024 Summit today! For more information on sponsorship opportunities still available, contact Logan Hall at lhall@animalagalliance.org.

Donate an item to the 2024 Silent Auction to support the 2024 College Aggies Online scholarship program. Previous auction donations have included goods and services such as artwork, quilts, jewelry, craft items, model farm equipment, gift baskets, gift certificates, food and wine, and sporting or entertainment event tickets. Fill out the request form or contact Grace Platte at gplatte@animalagalliance.org with any questions.

Help us spread the word about Summit! If you refer a friend to attend the 2024 Summit who has never attended a previous Summit and they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers. We will give away two $100 gift cards during the Summit – one drawing for referrers and one drawing for those who were referred. All registrations for the in-person event with a referral listed made until online registration closes on May 3 will be entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card.

Check the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA24 for periodic updates about the event on social media. For general questions about the Summit please email summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.

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