A Long History Of Candidate Forums At Farmfest

​2024 will mark the thirty-fourth anniversary of political candidate forums at Farmfest. In every even numbered year since 1990, Minnesota Farmfest has featured candidate forums for the Minnesota primary election races for Governor, U.S. Senate, and Congressional seats. Over the years, these candidate forums have been very interesting and at times have helped give some direction to certain political campaigns. The timing of the forums is very important, as Farmfest is always held during the first full week of August, meaning that the forums usually occur the week before the Minnesota primary election on the second Tuesday of August. The Farmfest candidate forums have become a “must participate” event over the years for major political candidates of all parties for Governor, U.S. Senate, and Congressional seats.
 
Three candidate forums are scheduled during Farmfest in 2024 on August 6, 7 and 8 at the Gillfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minn. Several other interesting forums on timely agricultural topics have also been planned during the three-day event. Farmfest is coordinated by IDEAg Group, LLC, a subsidiary of American Farm Bureau Federation.
Tuesday, Aug. 6 will feature two “Congressional Candidate Forums” in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center. The candidates in Minnesota’s first and second congressional districts will participate in a Congressional Candidate Forum on Tuesday, August 6, at 10:30 a.m. A second Congressional Candidate Forum will be held that same day at 1:15 p.m. for the candidates in Minnesota’s sixth, seventh and eighth congressional districts. All of the current members of Congress in those congressional districts and several of their challengers will be participating in these forums.
 
A special “U.S. Senate Candidate Forum” will be held on Wednesday, August 7, at 10:30 a.m. in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center, featuring U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and several other candidates for U.S. Senate in Minnesota. The candidate forums are sponsored by Minnesota Farm Bureau.
 
The focus and subject matter for the candidate forums has always been on agriculture and rural issues. Questions will be asked by moderators that work in ag media, based on input received from leaders in various agriculture and rural organizations. Following are the key topics that this year’s candidate forums will focus on:

• Passing a New Farm Bill

Ø  Upgrades needed in the farm “safety-net” programs in the Farm Bill.
Ø  Protecting conservation programs and funding in the Farm Bill.
Ø  Appropriate adjustments, if any, to food and nutrition programs.
Ø  Livestock, trade, rural development, research, and other Farm Bill titles.
Ø  The likelihood of passing a New Farm Bill by the end of 2024 ?

• Renewable Energy

Ø  Where do ethanol and renewable diesel fuel fit into long-term U.S. energy policy ?
Ø  Changes needed in the GREET model for sustainable aviation fuel.

• Other Topics

Ø  Disaster assistance for 2024 weather-related issues on farms and ranches.
Ø  Carbon sequestration efforts and “climate-smart” agriculture initiatives in the ag industry.
Ø  Balancing immigration policy with the labor shortages in ag production and processing.
Ø  WOTUS, feedlot regulations, proposition 12, and other federal regulatory issues.  
Ø  Assisting new and emerging farmers and start-up agri-businesses.
 
Another highlight in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center will be a forum titled: “Farm Bill Fatigue …... Will Congress Pass a Farm Bill ?” on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 1:30 p.m. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, who serves on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, will be joined on the panel by five national ag organization leaders. The panel will include four Presidents of national agricultural organizations, including Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau President, Rob Larew, National Farmers Union President, Harold Wolle, National Corn Growers Council President, and Lori Stevermer, National Pork Producers Council President, as well as George Goblish, American Soybean Growers Association Board Member.
 
Critical ag industry and economic sessions will kick-start the programming each morning in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center. On Tuesday, August 6 at 9:30 a.m. a forum titled: “Tips for Surviving in a Down Ag Economy” will be held. This forum will feature Bob Craven from the University of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management, Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau Economist, and Todd Stencel, South Central College Farm Business Management Instructor.
 
The Farmfest “Ag Outlook Forum” is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7 at 9:00 am, featuring a top-notch list of presenters. The event will kick-off with comments by Xochiti Torres Small, USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. The Outlook Forum will feature short presentations by Robert Bonnie, USDA Undersecretary of Agriculture, Thom Peterson, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, Ryan Yates, Managing Director of Government Affairs with American Farm Bureau, Brian Werner, Minnesota Biofuels Director, Mark Schultz, Grain Marketing Analyst with Northstar Commodities, and John Zimmerman, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation.
 
Thursday, August 8 will feature events recognizing farm families and women farmers in the Wick Building Farmfest Center. The 2024 Farmfest “Women in Ag Event” will be held at 10:45 a.m., which will include recognizing the “2024 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year”. The University of Minnesota “Farm Family of the Year” program, which will be held at 1:15 p.m. on August 8, will recognize over 80 county farm families of the year from throughout Minnesota. Earlier that same day, the University of Minnesota will host a “Manure Applicator Certification Program”, starting at 8:00 a.m.
 
The Livestock Tent, located near the north end of the Farmfest site, will host some very timely panel discussions on the first two days of the event. The focus on Tuesday, August 6 at 11:15 a.m. will be an update on the outbreak and management of the H5N1 (highly pathogenic avian influenza) in the U.S. and Minnesota. Panel members will include Brian Hoefs, State Veterinarian with the MN Board of Animal Health, Thom Peterson, MN Commissioner of Agriculture, Lucas Sjostrom, Executive Director of MN Milk, and Bernt Nelson, with American Farm Bureau.
 
Proposition 12, proposed changes to Minnesota feedlot regulations, and other livestock policy issues will be the focus of the forum in the Livestock Tent on Wednesday, August 7 at 11:15 a.m. Panel members include Dan Glessing, MN Farm Bureau President, Mike Landuyt, Past President of the MN State Cattleman’s Assn., Lauren Servick, Pubic Policy Director with MN Pork, and Ryan Yates, with American Farm Bureau. Cattlemen and women are also invited to obtain their Beef Quality Assurance Certification during a session in the Livestock Tent on Thursday, August 8 at 10:00 a.m., which is being presented by the Minnesota Beef Council.
 
For more information on the Farmfest forum panels, livestreaming of the forums, Farmfest exhibitors, food vendors, and other information, visit www.farmfest.com. For more details on speakers or content in the Farmfest forums, contact Kent Thiesse, Farmfest Forum Coordinator at (507) 381-7960.
Note - For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst, Green Solutions
Phone - (507) 381-7960; E-mail - [email protected]