The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) 107th Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, continued Monday, January 12, 2026, with a full day of awards presentations, engaging workshops, and inspiring keynotes under the theme “Imagine. Grow. Lead.”

A delegation of approximately 40 Arizona Farm Bureau members attended the multi-day event (January 9-14), actively participating in discussions, workshops, and networking to represent Arizona agriculture on the national stage.

On Monday, programming kicked off with the Final Four round of the prestigious Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, a competitive event that simulates a committee meeting, testing participants' abilities to exchange ideas, discuss key agricultural topics, and build consensus. Arizona Farm Bureau's Young Farmer & Rancher Alex Dobson advanced impressively through the preliminary rounds to reach the Sweet Sixteen, a strong showing among talented young leaders from across the country.

Workshops throughout several days covered critical topics including the outlook for the ag economy, mental health in agriculture, farm labor challenges, and more.

The closing general session featured remarks from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins (watchable here), followed by an inspiring keynote address from Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL player, and five-time New York Times best-selling author Tim Tebow.

In the 2026 Ag Innovation Challenge, FarmMind (a Louisiana startup that integrates agricultural workflows into one platform) was named the winner, earning a total of $100,000 in prize money sponsored by partners including Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and T-Mobile. KiposTech from Pennsylvania took runner-up honors.

Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers competitions were also announced: Drew and Lauren Wendland of Alabama won the Achievement Award, Lindy McMillen of Kansas won the Discussion Meet, and Tera Baker of Michigan won the Excellence in Agriculture Award.

Additionally, members of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee elected a new executive team: Tommy Salisbury from Oklahoma as chair for 2026 (beginning in March after the YF&R Conference, with a one-year term also on the AFBF board of directors), Daniel Jones of California as vice chair, and Allison Whiten of South Carolina as secretary. Arizona Farm Bureau’s Ben and Ashley Menges were recently appointed members of the AFBF YF&R Committee and will be serving in that capacity this year.

Tuesday Highlight:

The annual meeting of AFBF voting delegates took place Tuesday where delegates finalized and set Farm Bureau policy for 2026.

Arizona Farm Bureau proudly celebrates the participation of its members and the outstanding performance of Alex Dobson, showcasing the dedication and leadership of Arizona's agricultural community at the national level.