Make Your Plans for the 2027 AFBF Convention

There is something special about gathering with people who share a love for agriculture. You reconnect with old friends and make new ones, exchange ideas, and leave eager to bring what you have learned back home. That is what I look forward to each year at the American Farm Bureau Convention, and I hope you will experience it with us in Charlotte.

Registration is now open for our 108th convention, Jan. 8-13, 2027, in Charlotte, North Carolina. From lively competitions and new agricultural technology to farm tours and time with friends, there is plenty to look forward to. Here is a preview to help you start making plans.

Explore Agriculture’s Outlook and New Ideas for Your Farm

Come ready to learn and join the conversation at our educational workshops, which will take a closer look at the issues that affect your farm and your community. Hear about the agricultural economic outlook for the year ahead, explore agricultural workforce solutions, and learn what the midterm election results could mean for agriculture. You can also learn about succession planning and the possibilities of artificial intelligence on the farm. Bring the questions you have been thinking through at home and hear from experts and fellow farmers who can offer a fresh perspective.

Want to feel more confident sharing agriculture’s story? The Promotion and Engagement Committee’s annual Communicate, Collaborate and Influence training will help you connect with consumers. Whether you are answering a question online or visiting with neighbors, you have a story worth sharing. This is a chance to build the skills to help that story reach more people.

Discover Agricultural Innovation at the Trade Show

The Trade Show is a great place to explore products and services, talk with agricultural businesses, and consider tools that could work on your farm or ranch. Leave yourself time to ask questions and learn from the people behind those products.

Then catch the Final Four round of the Ag Innovation Challenge live on our Cultivation Center Stage. Four businesses will pitch their agricultural solutions as they compete for a top prize of $100,000. I always enjoy seeing the creativity these entrepreneurs bring to challenges farmers know firsthand.

Some of the best ideas you take home may also come from a conversation with another Farm Bureau member. Ask what is working in their county, share a success from yours, and get to know someone from another state. Those connections are one of my favorite parts of the AFBF Convention.

Celebrate Farm Bureau Members and Support Ag Literacy

Come ready to cheer on your state’s Young Farmers & Ranchers competitors in the Discussion Meet, Achievement Award, and Excellence in Ag competitions. These members have put a great deal of time and effort into reaching the national stage. Let’s give them a strong showing of support as they compete alongside outstanding young leaders from across the country.

Before Sunday’s opening general session, join us for the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Flapjack Fundraiser. Along with breakfast and fellowship, you can learn about the Foundation’s work and celebrate the announcement of its 2027 “Book of the Year.” It is a wonderful way to support agricultural literacy while enjoying time with the Farm Bureau family.

Experience North Carolina Agriculture and Attractions

Our hosts have put together a tour lineup that offers a firsthand look at North Carolina agriculture, including orchards, dairy farms, and greenhouse operations. I always appreciate the chance to learn how other farmers approach their work. These visits offer a look at the ingenuity and traditions that shape agriculture in another part of our country.

As you make plans for January, invite someone from your county Farm Bureau to join you, especially a member who has never attended. There is no better way to introduce them to the friendships, ideas and opportunities that can help make your community even stronger.

Visit convention.fb.org or contact your state Farm Bureau to register, and be sure to watch for more announcements. I look forward to catching up with old friends, meeting new members, and celebrating the people who make Farm Bureau special. Save your spot, bring a friend, and join us in Charlotte!