Arkansas Farm Bureau to hold 88th convention in Hot Springs

LITTLE ROCK -- Farm and ranch leaders from across the state will gather in Hot Springs Wednesday through Friday for Arkansas Farm Bureau's 88th annual convention.

ArFB President Rich Hillman and motivational speaker Amberley Snyder will serve as keynote speakers for the event, a Farm Bureau release said. Hillman, ArFB president, a sixth-generation rice farmer from Carlisle in Lonoke County, is completing his third year as the organization's president.

Snyder, a professional barrel racer, is the subject of the Netflix movie "Walk. Ride. Rodeo," and will speak on turning tragedy into triumph.

The convention -- including a trade show featuring vendors of farm services, equipment, and supplies -- is expected to attract around 1,000 farmers and ranchers to the Hot Springs Convention Center, it said.

The convention's theme, "Make It Matter," will be reinforced with workshops that include topics such as solar energy usage within agriculture, rural broadband connectivity, direct marketing of local foods, as well as crop and livestock market outlooks, the release said. A workshop previewing the 2023 legislative session will also be held.

Farm Bureau's annual business session, where voting delegates from the state's 76 county Farm Bureaus define the organization's policy positions on items of importance to its members, will conclude the convention on Friday. The delegate body will also elect the organization's president and vice president as well as some members of its state board of directors, it said.

"Farm Bureau is a very active organization throughout our state, and this convention is about celebrating the things our members do that matter in every county of Arkansas," Hillman said in the release. "Those of us involved in agriculture have so many challenges coming at us and many of those issues will be discussed during our convention.

"The grassroots policy development process that is utilized by the organization culminates at our business session, where our members identify ways to strengthen agriculture in our state and nation. The men and women of agriculture embody the very best of Arkansas, and that will be evident to anyone who is around our state convention."

Awards will be presented to county Farm Bureaus for their work in support of the organization's agricultural advocacy and membership efforts, along with recognition of ArFB's winners in its Young Farmers & Ranchers competition winners. The organization will also present the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award, given annually to an active Farm Bureau member, 36 to 45 years old, for outstanding leadership within their county Farm Bureau and community. Awards will also be presented to top Ag Education teachers and programs, the top county Farm Bureau, and the best Women's Leadership Committee.

"Arkansas Farm Bureau is the state's largest agricultural advocacy group, working to improve farm and rural life. With almost 190,000 member families, ArFB represents roughly 1 in 4 Arkansans," the release said.

Upcoming Events