About 500 Arkansas Farm Bureau leaders are expected to attend the organization's midsummer conference today and Tuesday at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
The Arkansas Farm Bureau's 69th annual Officers and Leaders Conference will feature South Dakota ranchers Troy and Stacy Hadrick, who will close the convention on Tuesday and reinforce the conference theme "Innovation Generation," a news release said.
"The Hadricks, who raise cattle, corn, soybeans and wheat near Aberdeen, S.D., are frequent speakers around the country, challenging farmers and ranchers to discover the influential power of agricultural advocacy. Their story has been shaped by personal experiences that challenged and guided the young couple," the release said.
Workshops at the conference will cover topics such as state legislative issues, on-farm technology, effective disposal of crop protection products, livestock and crop overviews and the role of the new Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation, the release said.
"The goal of our Officers and Leaders Conference is to provide important and practical information to those who serve as leaders for our 76 county Farm Bureau organizations," said Randy Veach, who is in his ninth term as president of Arkansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest agricultural advocacy organization.
"We believe the speakers and workshops for this conference will help the Innovation Generation keep their operations sustainable and functioning," Veach said in the release.
"And when I say 'Innovation Generation,' I am actually talking about all of our farmers and ranchers. The changes that have occurred in our lifetimes -- whether you are 19 or 90 -- has been phenomenal, ranging from technology advancement to social innovation and transformation.
"That change comes at a remarkable pace. It helps to have some advice and counsel about those changes, and hopefully our members experience that during O&L."
Farm Bureau will also announce winners of its Young Farmer & Rancher competitions, as well as recognize the recipients of the Romeo E. Short, Farm Bureau Foundation and Marvin Vines Memorial scholarships, at the conference.
Local on 07/24/2017