NEW ORLEANS – National Farmers Union (NFU) on Monday concluded its 124th Anniversary Convention after the assembled delegates voted to finalize NFU’s 2026 policy priorities. NFU welcomed over 500 family farmers, ranchers and supporters to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the three-day convention.
“The challenges facing family farmers and ranchers continue to grow more complex,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “But through it all, Farmers Union continues to do something Washington too often struggles to achieve: bringing people with diverse viewpoints together, working through tough issues and emerging with solutions they built collectively. That unity is our greatest strength.”
The finalized policy priorities approved by NFU’s delegates include three special orders of business on timely topics: Family Farmers, the Farm Crisis, and the Future of Food and Farm Policy; Family Farming and the Roots of Our Democracy; and Family Farming and Dairy Policy Reform.
“NFU’s democratic, grassroots process has united family farmers and ranchers for more than a century,” said NFU Vice President Jeff Kippley. “This year was no exception. We’re leaving New Orleans energized, organized and ready to tackle the challenges ahead with clear purpose and strong momentum.”
NFU announced the launch of Farmers Union Next Generation (NextGen). NextGen is a comprehensive, unified suite of programming, events and development that will serve young, beginning, and early-career farmers and ranchers. NextGen is NFU’s premier opportunity for Farmers Union members ages 21 to 45 to ensure that the future of family agriculture is prepared to meet the challenges ahead.
NFU hosted many prominent speakers to share their wealth of knowledge and expertise, including:
- Dudley Hoskins, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
- Janie Hipp, Native Agriculture Financial Services
- Jonathan Coppess, University of Illinois
- Dr. Joe Outlaw, Texas A&M University
- Allison Bredder, NASA Acres
- Dave Turner, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Systems Laboratory
- John Sokich, NOAA National Weather Service Congressional Affairs (Retired)
- Pamitha Weerasinghe, Knowledge for a Competitive America
- Jason DeShaw, National Award-Winning Speaker & Musician
- Amy France, National Sorghum Producers
- Devin Mogler, National Oilseed Processors Association
- Andrew Baldwin, CoBank
- Jim Schultz, Open Prairie
- Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
NFU will welcome America’s family farmers and ranchers again at the 125th Anniversary Convention in San Antonio, Texas, March 7–9, 2027.