AgWired

She calls herself the “shark with a heart” from the hit television show “Shark Tank” and investor Barbara Corcoran stole the hearts of farmers and ranchers at the closing session of the 97th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show this week.

Corcoran shared her tips for creating a brand and taking charge of your image. “One of the most valuable lessons I learned early on in business is that perception creates reality,” Corcoran said, urging farmers to take the same approach to dispel the myths of corporate farming and help the public understand the business of the family farm.

Corcoran noted that in seven years of on “Shark Tank”, the majority of her investments were in food businesses. “I invest in the entrepreneur, not the business,” said Corcoran. “I’ve found that people in the food business are givers by nature. They’re kind, they’re good souls, and they’re true blue.”

2016 AFBF Convention photos

Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced today at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 97th Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show.

William and Cala Tabb of Mississippi won the Achievement Award. They are the winners of either a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado or 2016 GMC Sierra, courtesy of Chevrolet. They will also receive paid registration to attend the 2016 YF&R Leadership Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in February.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

Chris Van Vlack of Virginia won the Discussion Meet. He will have his choice of either a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2016 GMC Sierra, courtesy of Chevrolet, plus free registration to the YF&R Leadership Conference.

The Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting in which active discussion and participation are expected. Participants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predetermined topic.

Michael Miron of Minnesota won the Excellence in Agriculture Award. He will receive his choice of either a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado or 2016 GMC Sierra, courtesy of Chevrolet, plus free registration to the 2016 YF&R Conference.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Congrats to all of these future leaders of the agriculture industry!

2016 AFBF Convention photos

It may not be as crowded as the Republican presidential field, but there’s a good crop of four candidates running to become the next president of the American Farm Bureau Federation this week.

Left to right pictured here are the candidates – current AFBF Vice President and Oregon Farm Bureau president Barry Bushue, Georgia Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall, Arizona Farm Bureau president Kevin Rogers, and Indiana Farm Bureau’s Don Villwock. The four participated in a forum on Saturday at the annual convention in Orlando and each has been very active campaigning for the position. The election will be held during the delegate session on Tuesday morning and by the afternoon the nation’s largest general farm organization will have a new leader.

To find out more about the candidates, check out the Daily Voice on Agri-Pulse where Spencer Chase featured each of four over the past week.

2016 AFBF Convention photos