Ag News
AFBF Convention celebrates wins, inspires farmers and ranchers
Posted on Jan 16, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Following the theme, “Imagine, Grow, Lead,” the 107th American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) convention featured addresses from AFBF President Zippy Duvall, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. The event, held in Anaheim, California, included national Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) competitions, featured a wide variety of farm seminars, celebrated Farm Bureau achievements at the state and national levels and much more. Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) had members elected to leadership roles on the AFBF YF&R and Women’s Leadership Committees (WLC).
Hardy, Jackson, on AFBF committees
Cleve Jackson of Floyd County was named vice chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee for 2026, and Julie Hardy of Thomas County was elected to a two-year term on the AFBF Women’s Leadership Committee (WLC).
Hardy ran against ladies from North Carolina and Virginia to be elected as the Southern Region representative on the AFBF WLC during the annual meeting of American Farm Bureau Women on Jan. 10. Hardy completed her one-year term as chairwoman of the GFB WLC Committee in December and is serving as an ex officio member of the GFB committee.
Hardy is the first Georgian on the AFBF WLC since 2001when Peggy Smith of Turner County, who chaired the GFB WLC in 1993 and 2001, served a one-year term on the AFBF Women’s Committee in 2001 as the AFBF Southern Region representative. Bertie Mae McDonald of Washington County, who chaired the GFB Women’s Committee from 1981-1986, became the first GFB member to serve on the AFBF Women’s Committee in 1984. McDonald represented AFBF’s Southern Region on the national committee through the 1990 AFBF convention.
Hardy farms in partnership with her father, Bobby Hurst, and her brother, Bert Hurst. The family grows cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat and run a small herd of beef cattle. She and her husband, Robby Hardy, have one daughter, Kate.
Hardy is an active member of the Thomas County Farm Bureau and is the TCFB vice president. She is a 2023 graduate of the American Farm Bureau Federation Communications Boot Camp. She is a member of the 2025-2026 UGA Advancing Georgia Leaders in Agriculture & Forestry program.
Jackson, who chaired the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) YF&R Committee in 2024, is in his second year on the AFBF committee. He and his wife, Emilia, raise beef cattle and grow fresh-cut flowers for farm visitors to cut themselves or buy through a subscription service. Cleve serves as president of the Floyd County Farm Bureau. The Jacksons have two daughters.
Duvall talks up policy work, young leaders, farmers’ mental health
In his annual address, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall emphasized the AFBF Convention theme, "Inspire, Grow, Lead," noting the organization's efforts to support farmers and ranchers. Duvall talked of key pieces of legislation and federal rulemaking, AFBF leadership development, farmers' mental health and more.
“We are facing tough times across agriculture this year, and there's no sugar coating that,” Duvall said. “It's real, and I know that has been difficult for many people. But every farmer has a seed of optimism that we plant to look forward to the future. And we make it from one season to the next because of optimism. It's part of our day to day.”
Duvall emphasized that even with major challenges, America’s farmers need to continue imagining ways to overcome the complexities of modern farming.
After celebrating county presidents in 2025, Duvall said he wanted to shine the spotlight on Farm Bureau’s young leaders in 2026.
“Thank you for making agriculture in your communities a priority in your life,” Duvall said. “You may be just starting out on your leadership journey in one of youth or professional development programs. But wherever you are in that journey, I want you to know that the Farm Bureau family is here for you, cheering you on. I challenge you to unleash your imagination. Here, today, imagine how you could make your community better.”
Key policy victories Duvall noted included successful advocacy for tax provisions protecting farm families, modernized farm programs representing a historic $70 billion investment by the USDA, and a $12 billion bridge support program announced by the Trump administration to help farmers hurt by a challenging economic landscape. Duvall highlighted progress on labor issues, including changes to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate and new regulations protecting water sources while respecting conservation efforts.
Rollins: Help is on the way
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed Farm Bureau members during the closing session on Jan. 12, lauding farmers’ role in the development of American society and celebrating increases in ag exports in 2025 over 2024.
“Our farmers not only feed and fuel and clothe us, you all bear and sustain a set of values and principles that is essential to the continuation of our republic,” Rollins said. “More than mere producers of commodities and economic actors, you are the bearers of a way of life and custodians of the great American experiment, like the pioneers who settled this great nation, our farmers and ranchers build civilization from wilderness and fulfill our amazing God's plan to till the earth, renewing our national inheritance of liberty for the next generation. That is why all America is under threat when American agriculture is under threat.”
Rollins noted increased exports of tree nuts (up 11% in 2025), ethanol (11%), dairy (15%) and corn (29%).
She pointed out key farm provisions in the One Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which was signed into law last summer. Among them were an increase in commodity reference prices, enhanced crop insurance coverage and expanded premium benefits for new and beginning farmers from five years to 10 years.
Rollins said the OBBB also makes the death tax exemption permanent for almost two million family farms, with the rate indexed to inflation, and makes permanent the 20% qualified bonus, income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption. The bill also included 100% immediate expensing, allowing farmers and ranchers to deduct their capital-intensive business investments, as well as extending the 405c biofuel tax credit through 2029.
Rollins noted actions to ease regulatory burdens that hurt farmers and drive up labor costs. Key among these was an interim final rule to change the methodology to establish the adverse effect wage rate for the H-2A program.
“This change will save our farmers over $2 billion in labor costs alone every single year,” Rollins said. She noted that another final rule, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, allows concurrent H-2A applications with both the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Tebow shares thoughts on leadership, faith
Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow gave the keynote address at the closing general session on Jan. 11, sharing his experiences growing up in Florida, his recruitment to play college football and why he ended up choosing the University of Florida, his observations on leadership and his faith.
Tebow, who played in the NFL, pursued a career in professional baseball and competed in mixed martial arts, now works as a TV football analyst and motivational speaker.
He expanded on the convention theme, “Imagine, Grow, Lead,” saying that those three ideas shouldn’t be separated.
“I think sometimes we look at those and we compartmentalize them like they're actually different things and in certain categories they can be, but also we have to do them simultaneously,” Tebow said. “We have to imagine why we're actually convincing people to buy into that to grow and we have to lead in all of those. It's not one that happens before the other.”
He said great leaders have great ideas but it’s their passion that allows them to draw others in and achieve great things. He pointed to his recruitment as a football player said his experience in making his college decision came down to passion and people.
His decision as a high school senior to play football with the University of Florida went down to the last minute, he said, but the thing that ultimately stood out for Florida was how then-coach Urban Meyer presented him with a detailed strategic vision on how things would play out once he got there.
"You see, hope wasn't his strategy,” he said. “Listen, hope is a really good thing when it's a biblical thing, but if hope’s your strategy … you're going to fail.”
Tebow delved into passion, noting the word’s meaning from its origin from the 12th century was to suffer. Passion, Tebow said, identifies what a person is willing to suffer for.
“I think one of the most disappointing things about my life is that my greatest form of suffering has been for a game,” Tebow said. “To make a team. To score a touchdown. To win a championship. And if my life ends or my greatest passion was for a game, oh, how my life missed the mark.”
He expressed a hope that at the end of his life his passion would be for greater things – Christ, family, community, and the most vulnerable people.
“I hope we could say at the end of my life that my greatest form of passion and suffering was for something that has eternal value and meaning,” he said.
“Four Corners” ag leaders make tare joint appearance
On Jan. 11 during the mid general session of the 107th AFBF Convention, the four leaders of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees made a rare joint appearance to discuss issues important to rural America. The chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Ranking Member Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) along with the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), and Ranking Member Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) covered priority issues including passing a new five-year farm bill, developing domestic and international markets for agricultural products, providing access to a stable workforce for farmers and ranchers, as well as the importance of grassroots involvement in advocacy.
GFB recognized for advocacy efforts
On Jan. 11 during the opening session Georgia Farm Bureau was recognized for earning four AFBF State Awards of Excellence for its programs in the categories of Advocacy, Coalitions & Partnerships, Engagement & Outreach, and Leadership & Business Development. GFB received an award for each of the four categories AFBF offers. During the AFBF Foundation for Agriculture Flapjack Breakfast, GFB was recognized for having members/leaders who donated the most money to the foundation last year in AFBF’s 5th Membership Group.
Georgia competitors put best foot forward
GFB’s Walt Pridgen, Haley Scruggs and Kylie Sizemore represented the state well during the national YF&R competitive events during the AFBF Convention.
Pridgen, of Coffee County, competed in the Achievement Award competition and Scruggs, from Bibb County, made hers in the Excellence in Agriculture competition.
Kylie Sizemore of Franklin County advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 AFBF Discussion Meet.
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