Louisiana Farm Bureau Hosts Inaugural Rooted in Leadership Conference

By Allie Doise Shipley 
Louisiana Farm Bureau News 

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation hosted its inaugural joint leadership conference, Rooted in Leadership, January 23–24 in Baton Rouge, bringing together parish board members and leaders from the Women’s Leadership and Young Farmers & Ranchers committees from across the state. Despite Winter Storm Fern preventing some north Louisiana registrants from traveling, 130 attendees gathered for two days of learning, networking and leadership development. 

The first day of the conference featured tours across the capital city, beginning with lunch at the Capitol City Museum. During the stop, Troy Romero, USDA state director for Rural Development in Louisiana, and State Rep. Rhonda Butler provided updates on the current state of agriculture. Attendees then walked to the Louisiana State Capitol for a behind-the-scenes tour of the building and an overview of the legislative process. 

From there, attendees visited Associated Grocers for an inside look at one of Louisiana’s key food distribution operations. The tour highlighted how the cooperative supports independent retailers through innovation, logistics and service across the region, and featured demonstrations of king cake production, meat cutting and produce selection. 

The tour day concluded with a stop at one of Baton Rouge’s most iconic landmarks, Tiger Stadium. Participants enjoyed a guided tour of the historic venue, including the trophy room, gameday locker room, and the opportunity to step onto the field. Following the stadium tour, attendees gathered for dinner and a Casino Night at LSU’s South Stadium Club. 

The second day of the Rooted in Leadership Conference focused on workshops and leadership development. The day began with a keynote address from Robert Mills, president of Briar View Farms and vice president of the Virginia Farm Bureau. Mills shared his personal journey from living on a one-acre lot to fulfilling his dream of becoming a full-time farmer. 

The remainder of the day featured four breakout session blocks, allowing attendees to choose from multiple workshops led by subject-matter experts. Topics included artificial intelligence, nutrition, crop market and farm policy outlooks, wreath demonstrations, media training, parish recordkeeping, parliamentary procedure, mental health and H-2A management. 

The conference concluded with a dinner and social event hosted by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. Attendees enjoyed an evening of music and entertainment as two pianists faced off in a high-energy dueling pianos show. 

Throughout the conference, participants also took part in a virtual scavenger hunt sponsored by First South Farm Credit. The Goosechase experience encouraged conference-goers to complete text, image and video challenges designed to keep them engaged in conference activities and connected with fellow Farm Bureau members. 

  • To learn more about the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and future events like Rooted in Leadership, visit: 
    https://lafarmbureau.org/ 

Allie Shipley