“Saddle Up for the Next Century” is the theme of the 99th Annual Meeting of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB). The meeting will be Nov. 7-9, 2018 in Sheridan at the Holiday Inn. “Annual meeting is a lot like harvest…the culmination of a year’s worth of grassroots efforts,” WyFB President Todd Fornstrom said. “We work through the year dealing with Mother Nature, markets and government regulation with an idea in the back of our minds on how to improve our way of life by way of policy development.” Policy development Policy discussions are the main purpose of the meeting and guide the work of the Federation. According to Brett Moline, WyFB Director of Public and Government Affairs, resolutions cover a broad range of topics including food labeling of synthetically produced protein, Country of Origin Labeling, and concerns with party affiliation changes during the voting process. Farm Bureau’s grassroots strength begins at the county level when members discuss issues important to agriculture. Resolutions must be passed at both the county and district level before being considered by voting delegates at the state annual meeting. Speakers and events In addition to policy discussions, members will hear updates on a variety of issues. The featured speakers from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) will be Ryan Yates, Director of Congressional Relations, and Robin Kinney, Managing Director of Member Engagement. Yates will speak on Thursday, Nov. 8th at 3:30 p.m. His presentation is titled: “Post-Election Recap: How the 2018 Election May Affect Western Legislative Priorities.” “The American Farm Bureau Federation has been closely monitoring the 2018 midterm elections as shifts in the balance of power in Washington could have meaningful implications for agricultural and environmental policy critical to western states,” Yates stated. “We will take a look at what farmers and ranchers can expect to see during the upcoming 116th Congress in regard to Western priorities.” Kinney will address Farm Bureau members on Friday, November 9th at 9:30 a.m. with her presentation “Membership: Say It, Sell It, Believe It.” According to Kinney, it is important to identify the many reasons “why” Farm Bureau provides value to members as the Voice of Agriculture. Pete Michael and Bret Hess will round out the featured speakers. Wyoming Attorney General Pete Michael will speak on Thursday, Nov. 8 with information on the Herrera v. Wyoming lawsuit and its impact to Wyoming citizens. An update on the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources will be provided on Thursday, Nov. 8 by Bret Hess, Interim Dean. Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) events will showcase some of the many opportunities available for our younger leaders in the agricultural community of Farm Bureau. The YF&R Collegiate Discussion Meet will be Wednesday evening, Nov. 7 hosted at Sheridan College. Elections, awards, a WyFB Foundation Knife Raffle and a “Harvest for All” fund drive round out the meeting events. Agenda The full agenda is available here 2018 WyFB Annual Meeting Agenda. Pre-registration has closed. Reservations from this point forward will be honored based on availability. Contact Julie Johnson-Doyle at jdoyle@wyfb.org or 307-721-7723. The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general agriculture organization. The primary goals of the federation are to protect private property rights and help members achieve an equitable return on their investment.