Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A newsletter for faculty, staff and students

July-August 2004 • Vol. 30, No. 4

Farm Bureau conference to focus on the future

The 300-plus farm and ranch leaders from across Arkansas expected at this summer’s Arkansas Farm Bureau Officers & Leaders Conference are focusing on strategic planning, public policy and ethics.

The gathering, July 26-27 at Springdale’s Holiday Inn Convention Center, includes several strategic-planning workshops focused on defining the organization’s “Vision for the Future,” the conference theme.

Sessions will include Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College program overviews.

"We've planned this conference to give our leaders throughout the state an opportunity to focus on the future," says Ewell Welch, Farm Bureau executive vice president. "We want to look down the road farther than just tomorrow, or next week, or even next year, and plan the direction of our organization."

Strategic-planning listening sessions are scheduled on topics that include advocating interests in public policy, publicizing information on agriculture's value and importance, products and services aimed at improving Farm Bureau members' quality of life, and on other topics during the gathering.

Don Soderquist, retired chief operating officer of Wal-Mart and namesake of the Soderquist Center for Leadership & Ethics at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, is a featured speaker at the gathering. When he retired in 2000, he had led Wal-Mart to its position as the largest company in the world.

The annual Farm Bureau conference also includes a panel discussion on ballot issues. Panelists include former U.S. Sen. David Pryor, recently selected dean of the University of Arkansas system's Clinton School of Public Service; Jim Pickens, former director of Arkansas Department of Economic Development and current head of the effort to pass proposed Amendment 2 that would allow cities to issue general obligation bonds to certain companies investing in the state; and Bill Stovall, speaker-elect of Arkansas' 85th Legislature.

Stanley Reed of Marianna, Farm Bureau state president, follows Soderquist with his annual president's address --- and FB is honoring its college scholarship recipients.

Additionally, Houston Nutt, head football coach at U of A, is speaking at Monday night's picnic in the Convention Center.