After restrictive state groundwater rules were adopted in 2024, Oregon farmers were left with very few practical tools to manage water in times of drought or shortage.

When one of the governor’s priority bills was introduced late during the 2025 legislative session – adding to more than 100 water-related measures – it threatened the viability of one of the most effective and efficient tools available: the temporary transfer of water rights.

Oregon Farm Bureau quickly mobilized members, coordinated strategy with other stakeholders, and worked directly with a diverse group of lawmakers to highlight the bill’s unintended consequences, costs, and lack of clarity.

The measure, SB 1153, allowed “public interest” challenges of routine water transfers on vague grounds, such as “loss of in-stream habitat for sensitive, threatened, or endangered aquatic species” or potential “contributions to water quality impairment.”

With one party controlling both the legislative and executive branches, and the bill one of the governor’s key initiatives, many considered the bill’s passage a foregone conclusion.

Unwilling to accept that, Oregon Farm Bureau elevated the issue with members, called them to action and brought them together at bimonthly meetings. The organization also coordinated with allied groups to deliver targeted, unified messaging.

Of the first batch of comments legislators received on the legislation – 852 in total – only 31 comments were in support. By the time the legislative session wrapped up, 1,900 comments had been submitted, with an overwhelming majority in opposition to the bill.

As part of their messaging, Oregon Farm Bureau and their partner groups questioned why such a precedent-setting bill was introduced so late in the session, undermining stakeholder input; highlighted the legislation’s out-of-state support; challenged proponents to identify the problem the bill would solve; and pointed out the inconsistency of adding new burdens to an already overextended state water agency facing staff reductions.

Oregon Farm Bureau also understood the importance of consistent targeted outreach to key senators and daily coordination with coalition members so they would be well-positioned to change advocacy tactics when necessary.

By combining disciplined advocacy, real-time tactic adaptation, strategic use of legislative dynamics and coalition strength, Oregon Farm Bureau not only thwarted what many assumed would be the inevitable passage of this harmful bill, the organization also set themselves up for future meaningful stakeholder engagement.

State Awards of Excellence

Oregon Farm Bureau’s efforts to prevent passage of SB 1153 were recognized with a 2026 Award of Excellence in the Coalitions and Partnerships category. The award was presented at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in January in Anaheim.

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• Driven by H.R. 1’s farm bill program and conservation investments, as well as assumptions on USDA’s use of Section 5 authority, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will hit its $30 billion borrowing cap every year for the next decade.

• Hitting the $30 billion cap threatens USDA's ability to respond to emergencies via Section 5 discretionary authority. That authority — used for things like COVID-19 relief and the 2026 Farmer Bridge Assistance Program — only works if borrowing liquidity exists.

• The $30 billion cap hasn't been adjusted since 1987, raising the policy question of whether Congress should raise the borrowing limit. CBO's current scoring approach makes doing so a costly one-to-one budget increase, complicating the path forward.

Understanding the Commodity Credit Corporation

Since 1933, USDA has used Commodity Credit Corporation funds to implement select congressionally established programs. Today, the primary programs funded by the CCC include those related to commodity support, livestock, disasters, conservation, trade promotion and marketing assistance loans.

Since 1987, the CCC has held authority to borrow up to $30 billion at any one time to implement USDA commodity support and conservation programs, e.g., deliver Price Loss Coverage program payments or provide financial assistance for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. By law, the CCC is replenished annually through the appropriations process.

At times, when funding is available, the Secretary of Agriculture may use the broad authority of the CCC under Section 5 of the Charter Act to provide additional and discretionary support to farmers and ranchers.

Historically, the CCC’s Section 5 discretionary authority has been used for administrative priorities or responses to emergency economic conditions. Examples of USDA’s recent use of Section 5 discretionary authority include:

• 2026’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, which helped to offset low crop prices and high input costs experienced since 2023;

• 2022’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, which provided financial and technical assistance to implement on-farm climate-smart agricultural production practices; and

• 2020’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which helped farmers and ranchers affected by COVID-19 supply chain disruptions.

CCC Section 5 Discretionary Authority Will Soon be Limited

Importantly, the ability to utilize Section 5 authority is conditional on the availability of borrowing authority (liquidity) under the $30 billion cap. Moving forward, if outlays related to the implementation of key farm bill income support and conservation programs are near the $30 billion cap, there would be limited financial resources available to respond to emergency needs, e.g., geopolitical disruptions or large-scale animal disease outbreaks.

Congress could still authorize and appropriate additional disaster assistance outside the CCC’s existing borrowing authority, but that process can take months and depends on lawmakers reaching agreement on a separate legislative package. The central concern is therefore not whether Congress retains the authority to respond, but whether USDA has enough CCC liquidity to act immediately when an emergency occurs rather than waiting for Congress to do so.

The Congressional Budget Office’s latest projections suggest that little, if any, liquidity will remain. Given the significant improvements and investments made to farm bill risk management and conservation programs in 2025 as part of H.R.1, the CBO now projects the CCC to expend its $30 billion borrowing authority each year over the next decade, either through traditional farm bill program outlays or the discretionary use of Section 5 authorities.

According to the February 2026 CBO Baseline for Mandatory Farm Programs, projected outlays for farm bill programs supported by the CCC are $10.9 billion for fiscal year 2025 but are expected to approach or exceed $27 billion from fiscal year 2027 to fiscal year 2029. The increase in projected outlays is driven by expectations for higher program payments related to continued low crop prices or revenue, as well as additional spending on conservation programs enacted in H.R. 1.

After taking into consideration CBO’s estimates for the use of Section 5 authority of $12.75 billion in fiscal year 2025 and $9.1 billion in fiscal year 2026, as well as the funds needed to be held in reserve until the annual replenishment occurs, CBO projects CCC outlays to exceed or approach the statutory limit of $30 billion going back to 2025 through 2029, with CCC needs exceeding borrowing authority by approximately $3 billion per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2029.* Given these projections, a policy question emerges: should Congress increase the CCC’s borrowing authority to ensure the necessary liquidity is available to respond to emergencies?

Is it Time to Raise the CCC Borrowing Authority?

This is not the first time raising the CCC borrowing authority has been considered. A 2020 Farm Bureau analysis reviewed how the CCC provided timely support to farmers and ranchers following the COVID-19 pandemic and estimated that, if indexed for inflation, the borrowing authority for the CCC should be more than double the $30 billion borrowing authority set in 1987. If adjusted for inflation to 2026, the CCC borrowing authority would approach $90 billion.

Increasing the CCC’s borrowing authority above $30 billion would provide USDA flexibility to utilize the Section 5 authority to respond quickly to emergency needs without having to go through annual funding packages for ad hoc assistance or other authorities.

What Happens if the Borrowing Authority is not Increased?

If the borrowing authority is not increased and CBO projections for farm program outlays are realized or climb even higher because of lower prices or revenues than currently projected, USDA could expend its borrowing authority under the CCC. In such a scenario, Congress would need to provide an exception, or “anomaly,” to alter the timing of CCC reimbursement. Recent years in which an anomaly was needed include fiscal years 2017, 2020 and 2021, when CCC expenditures approached the $30 billion borrowing authority.

Absent an anomaly, i.e., early replenishment, USDA would need to prioritize or prorate program payment delivery. This could result in farmers and ranchers receiving less than the full amount of commodity program or conservation program payments or even delaying the delivery of these program payments until after a replenishment has occurred.

CBO Math is a Head Scratcher

One potential challenge for raising the CCC borrowing authority is the current scoring methodology. Over the years CBO has altered its scoring methodology for the CCC Section 5 authority – going from a flat $1 billion per year assumption as recently as 2023, to variable outlays in 2024, and now to an assumption that USDA will definitively exhaust any additional CCC liquidity in each fiscal year. As a result, every additional dollar of CCC borrowing authority is treated as an additional dollar of federal spending, creating a one-to-one increase in the budget baseline even though a higher cap would only provide USDA the option (not the obligation) to spend those funds. This makes raising the limit appear significantly more costly and could make it more difficult for Congress to approve.

With a one-to-one score on the baseline, raising the CCC borrowing authority may not be the best use of baseline resources as those dollars are not guaranteed to flow to farmers and ranchers in emergency scenarios. However, if CBO used historical data to revisit the assumption that USDA will automatically utilize its Section 5 authority to expend all borrowing authority, it could result in an increase in the CCC borrowing authority without a direct one-to-one increase in the score.

Summary

Given the substantial enhancements and investments made to farm bill risk management and conservation programs under H.R.1 in 2025, CBO now projects that the CCC will exhaust its $30 billion borrowing authority annually over the next decade, whether through traditional farm bill program outlays or discretionary use of Section 5 authorities.

Without Congress raising the CCC’s borrowing authority, USDA will be unable to respond to emergency needs, and instead, stakeholders would continue to rely on annual appropriations or supplemental packages to fund emergency and ad hoc assistance efforts.

*CBO identifies known transfers of $12.5 billion in fiscal year 2025 and $3 billion in known transfers in fiscal year 2026 and assumes additional transfers to reach a total of $6 billion in fiscal year 2026.

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Two recent reports from USDA provide a closer look at the U.S. cattle industry. Chad Smith has details on the numbers and market reaction.

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Key Takeaways

• U.S. cattle herd shows signs of stabilization. Total cattle inventory increased slightly for the first time since 2018, but the beef cow herd fell to 28.5 million head, a record low for the July report, indicating herd rebuilding remains limited.
• Replacement heifer numbers improved, but the calf crop remains historically small. Beef replacement heifers increased 3%, suggesting farmers and ranchers are beginning to retain females for breeding. However, the 2026 calf crop is projected at a record-low 32.5 million head, marking the ninth consecutive annual decline and constraining future herd growth.
• Feeder cattle supplies are expected to remain tight through 2027. Lower calf numbers and declining feedlot placements point to fewer feeder cattle available in the coming years. While the reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border will gradually increase feeder cattle imports, supplies are still expected to remain historically tight.
• Market signals are mixed as supply constraints clash with softer demand indicators. Tight cattle supplies remain supportive for long-term cattle prices, but recent declines in boxed beef values and the reopening of cattle imports from Mexico have added bearish pressure. Cattle prices have fallen sharply in recent weeks, though improving packer margins may help support processing activity going forward.

USDA’s July Cattle Inventory report offers a critical midyear snapshot of the U.S. cattle herd, including an estimate of the year’s calf crop. Released in tandem with USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report, the two datasets together provide a more comprehensive view of supply trends and herd dynamics.

July Cattle Inventory

According to the July Cattle Inventory report, the inventory of all cattle and calves in the United States totaled 94.2 million head on July 1, 2026, up 200,000 head, or less than 1%, from 94.0 million head on July 1, 2025. This marks the first increase in the July cattle inventory since 2018.

Despite the slight increase in total inventory, indicators of herd expansion remain mixed. All cows and heifers that have calved were estimated at 38.1 million head, unchanged from a year ago. Within that total, beef cows were estimated at 28.5 million head, down 200,000 head, or 1%, from 2025 and the smallest July inventory on record (the data goes back to 1973). In contrast, milk cows were estimated at 9.65 million head, up 200,000 head, or 2%, from last year.

One of the most closely watched measures in the report is the inventory of beef replacement heifers weighing more than 500 pounds, which was estimated at 3.8 million head, up 100,000 head, or 3%, from 2025. This increase represents the first meaningful sign of heifer retention and potential herd rebuilding in nearly a decade. Meanwhile, other heifers totaled 7.3 million head, down 100,000 head, or 1%, from last year. These animals remain a potential source of future breeding stock.

The report also estimated the 2026 calf crop at 32.5 million head, down 2% from 2025 and the smallest calf crop on record. This marks the ninth consecutive year of decline and remains a major constraint on future herd growth. These calves represent the pool of animals available either for breeding or for placement into feedlots in 2027 and 2028. As long as calf numbers continue to decline, producers face limitations in expanding the herd, regardless of retention decisions.

Overall, the report suggests stabilization rather than expansion of the U.S. cattle herd. The increase in beef replacement heifers is an encouraging sign and contributed to the modest rise in total cattle inventory. However, that gain was largely offset by a smaller beef cow herd, while growth in milk cow numbers accounted for much of the increase in total cattle inventory. A sustained increase in both the calf crop and total cattle inventory would provide a clearer indication that a broader expansion phase has begun.

Cattle on Feed

USDA releases a monthly Cattle on Feed report that tracks inventories in large commercial feedlots with capacities of 1,000 head or more. The July Cattle Inventory report complements that survey by providing a broader estimate of all cattle and calves on feed across U.S. feedlots of every size.

According to the July report, 13.2 million cattle and calves were on feed in all U.S. feedlots on July 1, 2026. Of that total, 11.37 million head were in feedlots with capacities of 1,000 head or more, up 2% from a year earlier and accounting for 86.2% of all cattle on feed, compared with 85.2% a year ago.

Within large feedlots, USDA estimated 7.12 million steers and steer calves on feed, up 236,000 head, or 3%, from last year. Heifers and heifer calves totaled 4.25 million head, up 10,000 head, or less than 1%. Steers and steer calves represented approximately 63% of cattle on feed, while heifers and heifer calves accounted for about 36%.

Recent placement and marketing activity highlights the increasingly tight supply. June placements totaled 1.40 million head, down 42,000 head, or 3%, from a year ago. This followed May placements that were down 10%, or 183,000 head, from May 2025. At the same time, June marketings were estimated at 1.66 million head, down 46,000 head, or 3%, from last year and the lowest June total on record.

The combination of declining placements and slower marketings suggests cattle are remaining in feedlots longer, contributing to heavier market weights. Slower slaughter rates have also allowed market-ready supplies to build in feedlots, while packers have reduced processing schedules amid tight cattle supplies and compressed margins. As a result, cattle are being fed to heavier weights before entering the packing sector, partially offsetting the impact of lower cattle inventories on beef production.

Feeder Cattle Supplies and Mexico

Mexico typically exports between 1.2 million and 1.5 million head of feeder cattle to the United States each year. These cattle are an important component of the U.S. beef supply chain, moving from border crossings into feedyards across the country before eventually entering packing plants.

This trade was disrupted in November 2024 when the United States closed the border to livestock imports following the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in southern Mexico. The pest gradually spread northward and was eventually detected in the United States in June 2026. As of this article’s posting, there have been 42 confirmed NWS detections in the current U.S. outbreak: 41 cases in Texas and one in New Mexico.

The border closure has tightened feeder cattle supplies, particularly in border states such as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, which depend heavily on Mexican cattle to support feedyards and maintain beef production. Reduced cattle imports have contributed to tighter supplies and higher beef prices.

Efforts to contain the pest have centered on the Sterile Insect Technique, a proven method for controlling NWS populations. A key milestone occurred on June 27, 2026, with the opening of a new sterile fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico. Prior to its opening, the only remaining production facility was located in Panama and produced approximately 100 million sterile flies per week. The Metapa facility is expected to produce 30 million flies per week by the end of August, with an increased capacity up to 100 million flies per week by the fall.

These advancements helped pave the way for the gradual reopening of cross-border cattle trade. On July 24, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that imports would resume through the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry after a 30-day period, with two New Mexico ports scheduled to reopen thereafter. Reopening protocols include stringent treatment and inspection requirements. Imported cattle must pass through disinfectant dip vats and undergo additional inspections for open wounds or any additional signs of NWS. Animals showing evidence of NWS infestation or visible open wounds will be rejected and prohibited from entering the United States.

The phased reopening should help ease feeder cattle supply constraints over time while maintaining safeguards to prevent further spread of NWS.

Markets

The monthly reports and the announcement that the United States will reopen its border to livestock imports from Mexico were both released after markets closed on Friday, July 24. Overall, the reports provide mixed signals and are largely neutral for cattle markets, while the reopening of the border is viewed as bearish because it will increase cattle supplies over time.

These developments follow a sharp decline in cattle prices over the past month. August 2026 live cattle futures recently recorded a historic streak of losses over 15 consecutive trading days. In the cash market, the 5-area daily weighted average fed cattle price has fallen $29/hundredweight (cwt), or 11%, since June 25, 2026.

From a supply perspective, the strongest bullish takeaway from the reports is found in the feeder cattle market. A record-small calf crop and lower June placements both point to a tighter supply of feeder cattle later in 2026 and throughout 2027. While the reopening of the border to Mexican cattle imports will gradually increase feeder cattle availability, supplies are still expected to remain historically tight. Reduced feeder cattle numbers ultimately imply limited future fed cattle supplies, which should provide some support to cattle prices.

Demand

Boxed beef prices have weakened since late June. U.S. beef demand typically peaks around the Fourth of July holiday as summer grilling season reaches its height. Since reaching a high of $400.31/cwt on June 23, the Choice beef cutout value has declined $39.07/cwt, or roughly 10%, to $361.24/cwt on July 24.

Although seasonal declines in beef prices following the peak grilling season are common, the recent weakness raises questions about whether consumer demand is beginning to soften after several years of exceptional strength. If consumer demand is slowing, beef cutout values could continue to decline. If demand remains resilient, however, boxed beef prices may find support.

Both scenarios have important implications for packer profitability. While fed cattle prices have recently declined faster than beef cutout values, resulting in a modest improvement in the live-to-cutout spread, packer margins remain firmly in negative territory and have been for several months.

Conclusion

USDA's July Cattle Inventory and Cattle on Feed reports suggest the U.S. cattle industry remains in a period of stabilization rather than meaningful expansion. While the increase in replacement heifers provides an early signal that some producers may be positioning for herd rebuilding, record-low beef cow numbers and the smallest calf crop on record continue to limit growth potential. At the same time, lower feedlot placements point to tight feeder cattle supplies extending into 2027, even as the gradual reopening of live cattle imports from Mexico provides some relief.

For markets, the outlook remains mixed. Tight long-term cattle supplies remain supportive, but softer boxed beef prices, questions surrounding consumer demand, and increased imports from Mexico have added near-term pressure. The coming months will be critical in determining whether early signs of herd rebuilding gain momentum or whether supply constraints continue to define the cattle market cycle.

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American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on House passage of a budget framework that includes market relief for farmers.

“We applaud members of the House of Representatives for recognizing the economic toll facing farm country and advancing farm aid as part of their reconciliation package. High production costs and weak commodity prices are expected to drive billions in losses across row crops in 2027, with additional losses facing specialty crop, alfalfa and sugar producers.

“Our attention now turns to the Senate where we hope to not only pass the market relief but also work in a bipartisan fashion to advance other critical priorities for agriculture this Congress including a reauthorized farm bill and year-round E-15.”

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As Congress works toward approving a budget, the House has authorized $12 billion in additional farm aid. Stephanie Hoff has the story.

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Utah Farm Bureau’s Miracle of Agriculture Foundation is making significant strides toward its goal of providing protein to food pantries in the state, while also giving a boost to 4-H, FFA and local ranchers.

The initiative’s successful pilot program with North and South Box Elder County Farm Bureaus resulted in the delivery of protein from animals purchased at the Utah State Fair to three local pantries in early 2025. The county Farm Bureaus also raised funds to provide financial support to the pantries, multiplying the impact of the partnership.

Following that success, the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation partnered with Carbon and Emery County Farm Bureaus, which delivered protein, also from animals purchased at the Utah State Fair, to two pantries in their area.

Additional counties joining the initiative in 2025 included Wasatch County and Salt Lake County. In total, in 2025, the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation, in partnership with local Farm Bureau leaders, donated 20,650 pounds of high-quality protein to 10 pantries across the state.

These early counties provided a blueprint for the initiative: The county Farm Bureau purchases animals from local 4-H and FFA participants through junior livestock auctions, typically at the Utah State Fair or a county fair, and pays to have it processed through the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation. The Foundation then works with county Farm Bureaus to donate the meat to a local pantry – or pantries.

Local Partnerships are Essential

Key to the effort’s success are county Farm Bureaus and their volunteer leaders. As the boots on the ground, they are known and trusted in their communities.

“Their local knowledge, connections and willingness to serve have opened doors with pantries, families and youth participants, helping the program grow stronger and make a real difference at the local level,” said Clayton Beckstead, executive director of the Utah Farm Bureau’s Miracle of Agriculture Foundation.

Providing More Than Protein: Leadership Development and Community Engagement

Utah Farm Bureau regional managers had an important role as mentors to county leaders, helping them build confidence in reaching out to local pantries, coordinating purchases at livestock auctions and organizing donation events. This experience not only strengthened the impact of the program in the community, but it also provided valuable leadership development opportunities to Farm Bureau volunteers, helping Utah Farm Bureau in one of its core goals: growing leaders within Farm Bureau.

The effort also highlighted farmers’, ranchers’ and Utah Farm Bureau’s commitment to local communities and feeding people.

“By connecting the dots between youth programs, local agriculture and food pantries, the project has created goodwill and strengthened Utah Farm Bureau’s presence across the state,” Beckstead said. “It has also provided an important educational element, helping counties and communities better understand where their food comes from and the vital role agriculture plays in their lives.”

State Awards of Excellence

The Miracle of Agriculture Foundation’s partnership with county Farm Bureaus to provide protein to food pantries across Utah was recognized with a 2026 Award of Excellence in the Coalitions & Partnerships category. The award was presented at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in January in Anaheim.

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The cost and availability of fertilizer hit home for thousands of farmers this year. Chad Smith tells us the American Farm Bureau Federation analyzed possible solutions to future fertilizer challenges.

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Do Americans mistrust farmers and ranchers? If you ask most farmers and ranchers, they’ll say they absolutely think that’s the case. I understand why. There are loud voices critical of agriculture that can quickly fill a room or social media platform. It can seem like they speak for all Americans.

Here's the simple truth: they do not.

Farmers are some of the most trusted people in America. Not only according to Farm Bureau's national polling, but also affirmed by Gallup polls, which consistently rank agriculture in the top five sectors. In their 2020 and 2025 polls, farming was the top-rated sector by Americans.

We've been tracking public trust in farmers since 2019 with our partners at Morning Consult and our national polling also showed farmers topping the chart in trust levels in 2020 and 2025. In fact, farmers have consistently been in the top three when it comes to public trust. Doctors and nurses sometimes slide into first place, which is not bad company to keep.

It’s an impressive statistic that public trust in farmers has remained at 80% or higher since we began tracking it. Congress would love to have a trust level half that high.

When I share this data with Farm Bureau members, they’re often surprised. They’re a humble group, in general, that views their work as more of a calling than a job – one few people outside of agriculture understand. So, for them to be in the number one spot in one of the most important measurements across the social landscape sometimes leaves them speechless. For good reason.

You can't buy trust. You can't manufacture it. You can't demand it. It is earned. And it is declining societally as polarization increases and nefarious intent is assigned to people and groups based solely on differences of opinion. It’s impressive that farmers and ranchers remain above the fray.

But they are correct in believing that few people in the U.S. understand agriculture. That’s not surprising when 98% of the population has no direct connection to a farm. The nearly 2 million farmers and ranchers who make up the remaining 2% are pleased and proud to be the country's providers. But the disconnect is dangerous and those in agriculture would be wise to pay attention to it.

The sky-high trust in farmers does not extend to some farming practices. If public concerns go unanswered, there is potential for an erosion of trust in the people behind the practices. The need for effective engagement has never been higher. But it’s a challenge in the agricultural sector for a variety of reasons. A big one: farmers will be the first to tell you operating a farm is often a sunup to sundown job. Many hold jobs off the farm in order to be able to afford to be farmer. So, making time to engage with people who have questions about farming, whether digitally or at city hall, doesn’t always top the priority list. Farmers also tend to live private lives and like it that way. So, sharing their story can be uncomfortable and seem frivolous (to them). The data tells us it’s anything but frivolous.

When farmers engage and explain why they use the practices they do, public opinion shifts. We’ve seen it happen time and again. In fact, our polling indicates that when the public has a chance to interact with farmers, trust increases nearly 20%. That’s almost eye-popping, but not surprising. In a world where AI-generated content and misinformation campaigns leave the public wondering what to believe, they crave authenticity above all.

That’s why a selfie recorded by a farmer in the field can garner more interest and engagement than a professionally produced and narrated video about farming. This not only presents an opportunity for farmers, it’s a red-carpet invitation, dirty jeans and all. The question is whether farmers will RSVP.

There is no question agriculture has come a long way when it comes to engaging with the public. Whether as a digital influencer building an audience or operating a mobile ag lab that visits schools or as a witness delivering testimony at the statehouse or to Congress, farmers and ranchers increasingly recognize the importance of engaging and are diving in, despite their already full plates. That’s admirable. It will serve all of agriculture well to preserve one of the most precious resources of our time: social trust.

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Prompted by concerns about dwindling interest in running for local office, Kansas Farm Bureau launched Engaged Kansas in February 2023. This nonpartisan and non-policy-specific initiative brings together leading Kansas nonprofits and other organizations to encourage and support civic-minded individuals to consider public service.

Local leaders are incredibly influential in rural communities in Kansas because they make key decisions about many of the things that impact a rural community’s ability to thrive and provide necessary off-farm employment for farmers and ranchers. According to USDA, more than 50% of farmers’ household incomes come from off-farm employment, which provides income to keep farms in business and often provides health insurance.

Despite the importance of these local elected positions, there often aren’t enough thoughtful, intentional people willing to step into them.

Overcoming Barriers to Entry

When asking Kansas Farm Bureau members and community leaders if they would consider running for public office, the two most common responses were related to:

• not understanding the roles and responsibilities of public offices; and
• not knowing how to run a successful campaign.

Kansas Farm Bureau then launched an educational campaign to increase the understanding of roles, responsibilities and expectations of public office, as well as to provide neutral and independent resources to improve the campaign and leadership skillsets of Kansans interested in elected office.

Expanding With Partners

Once Kansas Farm Bureau finalized its goals, they invited other organizations with a vested interest in helping Kansas communities thrive by finding the right people for leadership positions to support Engaged Kansas. That support comes in the form of publicly available resources, educational opportunities and using their respective networks to promote Engaged Kansas.

Partners include Kansas Association of Counties, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Bankers Association, Kansas Medical Society and Kansas Association of Realtors, among others.

Getting the Word Out

Along with sharing Engaged Kansas’ resources through their partners’ networks, Engaged Kansas has a website and utilizes Facebook, X and LinkedIn. Kansas Farm Bureau shared the initiatives and resources with their members via their newsletter for voting members, e-newsletter and their social media platforms.

Engaged Kansas also targets communications to all state legislators, political party leaders, community Chamber directors, commodity group leaders and candidates for elected office

Strong Interest

Kansas Farm Bureau staff has delivered Engaged Kansas presentations to more than 3,000 people in more than 75 Farm Bureau, commodity and community organizations — and the requests continue to come in.

Back to School – Campaign School

One of Engaged Kansas’ offerings is a two-day Campaign School, using the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Campaign School curriculum. The AFBF Campaign School’s proven and empowering tactics have been a vital asset to the coalition, gaining broad acceptance and continued growth, both inside and outside of typical Kansas Farm Bureau networks.

When a shorter campaign school program was requested, AFBF and Kansas Farm Bureau built a four-hour mini session, which Kansas Farm Bureau staff deliver. The mini session provides a brief but thorough resource to those interested in seeking elected office and offers a preview of the two-day campaign school.

Kansas Farm Bureau staff has delivered mini sessions to more than 175 Kansans interested in a wide range of offices.

A Collegiate Campaign workshop on the Kansas State University campus was developed and presented as well for on- and off-campus organization leaders. Others continue to be planned, offering encouragement and support to young potential elected leaders.

State Awards of Excellence

Engaged Kansas earned Kansas Farm Bureau a 2026 Award of Excellence in the Coalitions & Partnerships category. The award was presented at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in January in Anaheim.

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