Learn, network and have fun with the future of agriculture
This two-and-a-half-day conference offers 18- to 35-year-old Young Farmers the opportunity to meet with hundreds of young agriculture leaders and industry experts while building confidence to advocate for the industry and to step into leadership roles and positions.
The Young Farmer Leaders Conference is your opportunity to learn about business, financial, technology and agricultural issues facing the industry.
Registration open January 3-16, 2023
Full Registration Includes:
- Optional Friday afternoon bus tours (includes offsite reception, heavy appetizers). Tour slots available on a first come, first serve basis
- Overnight accommodations for Friday and Saturday evenings, based on double occupancy
- Meals: Saturday breakfast through Sunday breakfast, both meals and snacks
- Workshops, breakouts, and general sessions
- Conference t-shirt
- Parking
Tour Information and Child Policy:
Due to liability and facility limitations, personal vehicles are not permitted to follow tour buses.
Anyone under 18, including infants and toddlers, is not permitted to attend the optional Friday tours due to liability and facility limitations.
Children up to 2 years old (24 months), are not required to pay for conference registration. Children over 2 must register and will be charged a meal fee. However, conference programming may not be suited for children under 18.
Anyone under 18 cannot fill a core program slot.
Keynote Speakers: Jay & Laura Laffoon
This Clown Can't Juggle
Keeping all the plates spinning is challenging! When juggling family, work, personal well-being, and all the other trials and challenges that life brings, how do you prioritize, manage stress and communicate effectively for the best relationships with family business, family, friends and co-workers, some of whom may be both or all three? With a dose of humor, we’ll explore the benefits of finding balance in your life for a more satisfying work and family life.
Speaker bio:
Jay and Laura Laffoon’s humor, wisdom, and candor have made them highly sought-after speakers for over two decades. Together, they have written 10 books on marriage and family relationships and have worked with clients like Edward Jones, Aflac, and Thrivent Financial. Jay and Laura live in Alma, Michigan.

TOUR OPTIONS
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From Farm to (Economic Development) Table
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Pigs, Plants and Public Health
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Inspiration. Innovation. Food Nation.
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School House Rock Revisited

Michigan’s agricultural industry continues to be a major economic driver in our state’s economy. A seat at your county’s economic development table ensures agriculture has a voice. See how voices like yours play a part in Gratiot County’s economic development agency, Greater Gratiot Development, Inc. to retain, expand and attract businesses. See how businesses like Breckenridge-based Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Inc. and Agroliquid’s Brownfield Redevelopment project A in Ashley invested in the entire community thanks to ag industry partners pulling up a chair.
GGDI is recognized for participating in and initiating collaborative relationships to retain, expand, and attract business and industry and to participate in activities which enhance the economic climate within the Gratiot Community

Peek behind the curtain of some of Michigan’s most innovative research and tools for animal and plant health. Visit Michigan State University Swine Farm, with a recently renovated sow barn; the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the first line of defense against foreign animal diseases, performing a million tests a year; and the MSU Plant Science Research Greenhouse Facility, serving 75 faculty and researching plant breeding, insect resistance, and plant resilience. Ending with a drive out of South Campus, where you’ll roll by the many farms and fields MSU has to offer.

Increasing food access and security for our neighbors increases our entire communities’ quality of life. This tour includes a visit to i Lansing’s dynamic hub, Allen Neighborhood Center. From the year-round Hunter Park Garden House to the Incubator Kitchen Program, you will be surrounded by inspiration for your community. Next, experience a real-time production environment at the MSU Extension Food Processing and Innovation Center, created to support vibrant new food products, serving the needs of Michigan-based food businesses and startups.

Spend some time in the state’s most influential buildings, including the Michigan Hall of Justice and a new 40,000-square-foot underground visitor’s center at the State Capitol. Round out your visit by learning more about lobbying and partner government organizations with the Michigan Farm Bureau’s State Government Relations Department as they present on how you, as a farmer, can help advocate for changes to laws and regulations.
An Evening to Impress... or Make an Impression
As tour goers finish up a jam-packed afternoon, the evening is sure to make an impression as you meet up with all four tour groups, enjoy heavy appetizers and interact with the many hands-on exhibits inside Impression 5 Science Center located in downtown Lansing.
AGENDA
8:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Young Farmer Chair Summit (separate registration for YF County Chairs)
11:00 a.m. Registration Opens
11:30 a.m. Collegiate Luncheon
1:30 p.m. Tours Depart
6:00 p.m. Tours arrive at Impression 5 Science Center for tour reception with heavy appetizers
7:00-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Program
8:45-9:45 a.m. District Meetings
9:45-10:15 a.m. Break for networking
10:15-11:15 a.m. Breakout First Round
11:30 a.m. Lunch Program
1:15-2:15 p.m. Breakout Second Round (Repeat of First Round)
2:15-2:30 p.m. Break
2:30-3:00 p.m. Mini breakouts (half hour)
3:00-3:30 p.m. Break
3:30-4:00 p.m. Mini Breakouts repeat (half hour)
5:00-6:00 p.m. Reception
6:00 p.m. Dinner and Keynote Program
8:30 p.m. Get Your Game On evening entertainment
Media Training 101: Telling the Story of Agriculture
Jon Adamy, Michigan Farm Bureau Media Relations Specialist
Room 101-102
You have a story to tell, and the media wants to hear it! It’s crucial for farmers to talk to consumers about agriculture, and interviews with local media are a powerful tool for getting that message out. During this session, we’ll work on ways to discover your own story and practice ways to confidently deliver a message that resonates in our communities.
Carbon and Ecosystem Service Credits Programs: Considerations for Farms
Tess Van Gorder, Michigan Farm Bureau Conservation and Regulatory Relations Specialist
Room 103-104
There's a lot of buzz around carbon and ecosystem service credits programs. We'll walk through what’s causing the noise around these programs, what a 'credit' is, and some considerations for you and your farm to explore before enrolling your farm in a program.
Develop and Strengthen Your Farm's Agritourism
Young Farmer Member Panel
Room 201
Where do I start? How do we expand? Who could give me advice? These are likely questions you've asked yourself when adding agritourism into your operation. Whether you welcome one or one thousand consumers on to your farm, you will leave this session with insight from a panel of Young Farmers who have been in your shoes.
Qualified and Hired: #LaborGoals
Michigan Works, Debra Barrett, Michigan State University Extension Senior Educator and Katie Eisenberger, Michigan Farm Bureau High School and Collegiate Programs Specialist
Room 202
Workforce ready. Labor shortage. Recruiting and retention. Whether you’re the employee or the employer, these phrases are central focuses for all of us in the world of agriculture. This session details tools and connections to structure a quality apprenticeship or internship program for your business, while also outlining a checklist to find these quality training experiences for agricultural career seekers. You will leave prepared to confidently use the phrase "Qualified and hired!"
Making Financials Talk
Barbara Dartt, Principal Consultant, Family Business Consulting Group
Room 203-204
“Powerful” financial records help you communicate with family and stakeholders and allow for better farm business decisions. We’ll cover the characteristics of “powerful” financials and zero in on the kinds of decisions that can be made and monitored with these records. Finally, we’ll talk about the value of advisors in your financial decision-making and how to choose and direct their assistance.
Money Really Does Grow on Trees: Forestry Management for All Farms
Joe Lazzari, True North Consulting Forestry & Wildlife Management
Room 101-102
Whether it’s an acre of woods or forty, timber sales and quality forest management can benefit farms of all types. Learn more about the process and implementation of timber sales and how they can help diversify farm income and improve land management.
Tactics for Success: Ag Labor and H-2A Visas
Laura Herrygers, Marketing Specialist and Account Manager, Great Lakes Ag Labor Services LLC
Room 103-104
Join this session to hear from a panel of your peers about using the H-2A visa program to secure reliable, legal, on-farm labor.
It's Not You. It's Me. Redefining Your Membership Engagement.
Young Farmer Member Panel
Room 201
Do you email, text, make a farm call, and even actually call your members to participate in events, and still see little engagement? Once you join this panel-led discussion, you will understand it's less about you and more about them!
Keepin' it real. Farm Bureau Policy that works.
Emily Reinart, Michigan Farm Bureau Grassroots Policy Outreach Specialist
Room 202
How can Michigan Farm Bureau help you solve real issues? It starts with real people, sharing real ideas. Join fellow Young Farmers to brainstorm on issues facing agriculture. Ideas fuel improvements to Michigan Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation policy and it starts with you,
Farm Stress, Family Drama, and the Cycle of Frustrated Farmers: Three Steps to Overcome it Today
Sarah Zastrow, Cultivate Balance
Room 203-204
Is farming really worth it? Whether it's family drama, lack of communication, unmet expectations, the operations itself, or a combination that causes you the most stress, the three steps discussed in this session are proven to lower stress and improve mental health across your farm. Learn how to adjust the way you think about stress, react to it, and make changes moving forward.
Young Farmer Award Workshop
MFB Staff
Room 205
Thinking about applying for a Young Farmer Award and don’t know where to start? Have one started and need time to hone your answers? Have an FFA SAE application that you may be able to repurpose? Attend this session to work with both State Young Farmer Committee members and Michigan Farm Bureau staff who are excited to help you get your application on its way.
7:30 a.m. Devotions
8:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:15-11:00 a.m. Morning Workshops
Direct Marketing: A How-to Guide
GreenStone Farm Credit Services; Farm Bureau Insurance
Room 101-102
Starting your own agribusiness, particularly a direct marketing venture, can be tricky. Join seasoned pros as they share all one needs to know about business planning, licensing, and insurance for new agritourism businesses.
Regulations, Protection, and Enforcement with Ag on Roads
Andrew Vermeesch, Michigan Farm Bureau Legislative Counsel; DOT; and Farm Bureau Insurance
Room 201-202
Farmers use roads every day to take their products to and from market. In this session, we take a look at the rules and regulations specific to agriculture and talk with enforcement officers to discuss trends in Michigan. In addition, experts will be here to discuss how you can protect you farm from everyday risk exposure when traveling roads.
Managing the Circus: Steps to Creating Life Balance
Jay and Laura Laffoon, Keynote Speakers
Room 203-205
You love your family. You love your work. Balancing these two loves is something we all know we need, but getting there is not easy. In this session, we discuss the necessary choices everyone can make to attain greater satisfaction at work and with family. Join us and walk away with tools to make the necessary choices... TODAY!
Putt-Putt Pantry: Build for a Good Cause
Love to compete while giving back at the same time? On Saturday, Districts will be banding together to create putt-putt course to not only bring glory to their District, but also feed the food insecure in Lansing. Putt-Putt Pantry — a take on mini golf — consists on building putt-putt holes out of groceries, after which all food will be donated to Lansing-area hunger-relief efforts.
Two districts will be paired per hole. Please bring your non-perishable food items to your District meeting on Saturday morning. Items can be placed — prior to breakfast — in your District's designated area within Exhibit Hall A.
Hole construction can begin after district meetings and prior to Breakout Round One at 10:15 and from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
The holes will be judged and played during evening entertainment on Saturday and awarded prizes for Fan Favorite, Most Challenging, Most Creative, and the Bless Your Heart award. You can also play the holes competitively as an individual or district teams for putt-putt prizes.
Rules:
- Everyone is allotted the same amount of space
- Not to exceed 4ft. tall
- All structures need to be made of or incorporate non-perishable food
Evening Entertainment
Friday Night
Enjoy the Greater Lansing nightlife like a local. Meet up with old friends and make new ones as you check out live music, taste local craft beer and wine, or catch a game on the big screen in one of the many restaurants and pubs within walking distance of the conference hotel.
Saturday Night: Get Your Game On
Whether you’re in a competitive mood or just want to relax, join us in Exhibit Hall A at the Lansing Center for a fun night of gaming. Enjoy some snacks while tossing a ball in Fowling, challenging friends to Cornhole, playing a quick round of Euchre, or picking up a putter to try your hand at one of the Putt-Putt Pantry holes.