Day at the Statehouse
Published
11/15/2023
Farm Bureau members in Kansas are encouraged to register for Day at the Statehouse (DAS) where farmers and ranchers learn about legislative issues, advocate policy with lawmakers and engage in valuable conversations to be the Voice of Agriculture.
This year, DAS will include:
- Dinner on Tuesday evening with speakers and celebration of county and state work.
- A youth track for ag ambassadors, FFA chapters and other high school students from your county.
The registration deadline is January 4.
Click Here to Register for Day at the Statehouse 2024
Hotel accommodations are the responsibility of the individual/county Farm Bureau. The negotiated rate at the Cyrus Hotel, our host venue, is $159 rate per night plus taxes. Most conference activities will take place at the Beacon, which is within easy walking distance of the Cyrus Hotel. Complimentary transportation will also be provided to/from the Cyrus Hotel to the Beacon.
Cyrus Hotel
920 S Kansas Ave, Topeka
785-596-0500
Our room block at the Cyrus Hotel is full. If you are still in need of hotel accommodations, we have an overflow block at Homewood Suites. The negotiated rate is $139 per night plus taxes and complimentary transportation will also be provided for attendees at the overflow location.
Homewood Suites
1519 SW Arrowhead Rd, Topeka
785-861-7840
Book rooms at Homewood Suites here.
Agenda
All events will take place at the Beacon unless otherwise noted. Parking at the Beacon is limited. Please consider using the complimentary busing from the hotel to the meeting venue.
Tuesday, January 16
Business Casual Dress
| 1:00-5:00 PM | Campaign School Mini Session If you're considering running for state legislature, school board, county commission or other public office, KFB's Campaign School Mini Sessions can teach you the nuts and bolts of campaigning and help you execute a winning campaign. Register here. | Kansas Chamber 534 S Kansas Ave, Ste 1400 |
| 3:00-3:30 PM | Youth Registration | Colonel Boardroom (Cyrus Hotel) |
| 3:30-6:15 PM | Youth Advocate Session You may not be able to vote yet, but as the future of Kansas, you have a special superpower and role in advocating for agriculture and rural communities. Connect with other youth advocates, sharpen your superpowers and kick off your Day at the Statehouse experience with a bang. | Vanguard Room (Cyrus Hotel) |
| 5:15-6:15 PM | Bus Loop from the Cyrus Hotel to the Beacon | |
| 5:30-6:30 PM | DAS Registration & Cocktail Hour Grab some refreshments and a drink from the cash bar as you network with other members and leaders in Kansas Farm Bureau. | Founder's Room |
| 6:30-8:30 PM | Voice of Agriculture Celebration Dinner Join us to celebrate the victories of 2023 and learn new skills to battle with the bad guys in 2024. This session will be fun, interactive and a night you don’t want to miss. | Dining Room |
| 8:30-9:15 PM | Bus Loop from the Beacon to the Cyrus Hotel | |
Wednesday, January 17
Business Dress
| 6:30-7:30 AM | Bus Loop from the Cyrus to the Beacon | |
| 7:00-7:45 AM | Donuts & Discussion Rise and shine, Superheroes. Get up early with the KFB Lobby Team to geek out (Clark Kent-style) about issues. Ask your questions, gain new perspectives and share insights with your Topeka team. (Note: talking points and essential information on KFB priority issues will be shared with all attendees later in the morning.) | Dining Room |
| 7:45-8:15 AM | Welcome to Topeka Hear from KFB and legislative leadership as you begin your day. |
Theater |
| 8:15-9:00 AM | Topeka Essentials Get to know the battleground and start drafting a plan of attack. We’ll cover the backstory that got us here, the other characters in this story and the big issues we’re fighting for in 2024. | Theater |
| 9:00 AM | Break | |
| 9:15-10:00 AM | Breakout Sessions
Even superheroes aren’t immune to the predictability of life, death and taxes. Okay, so maybe they can defy life and death at times, but taxes? No way. Get into the weeds of tax policy so you’re prepared for the threats ahead. Develop your spidey sense in this session as you identify community issues that matter to you. Dust off your superpowers and discover how to unite with other superheroes to make an impact in your community and beyond. Sometimes superheroes lose their powers because of self-doubt. Don’t fall victim to thinking you’re not effective. Come to this workshop to find your superpowers and develop new skills to take on the battles that matter to you. |
Theater Dining Room Library |
| 10:00 AM | Break | |
| 10:15-11:00 AM | Breakout Sessions
If there’s one thing a superhero needs to understand, it’s energy. This session will cover all you need to know to understand energy policy as you fight off the bad guys. You never know when a bad guy will appear so superheroes always have to be ready. Join this workshop to learn about some of the topics that have popped up recently in Topeka. Not all superheroes wear Carhartt. Sometimes they wear a suit and advocate on your behalf in Topeka and Washington, D.C. While they may sound like a bad guy, learn what a lobbyist actually does and how their work makes an impact for you. |
Theater Dining Room Library |
| 11:00 AM | Break | |
| 11:15-11:45 AM | Superhero Send Off Get ready to head to the Capitol by developing your storytelling superpower. Learn how to craft messages that go POW! as you convince legislators to join the fight for the good of agriculture. |
Theater |
| 11:45 AM-12:00 PM | Remarks from Governor Kelly | Theater |
| 12:00-1:30 PM | Lunch with Legislators It’s time, superheroes! Put your superpowers to use as meet with legislators, observe them in action, tour the space and admire the Statehouse. Please reach out to your local legislators at least a week in advance to schedule a meeting appointment. See instructions for doing this below. |
Kansas Statehouse 1st and 2nd Floor |
| 1:30-5:00 PM | Afternoon at the Capitol
|
Kansas Statehouse |
| 2:00-5:00 PM | Bus Loop from the Capitol to the Cyrus Hotel. Last bus leaves the Capitol at 5:00 p.m. |
Before You Arrive
We’re so excited you’re planning to attend KFB’s annual Day at the Statehouse event. Here are a few things you need to know to make your experience great!
Connect with your legislators before you come to Topeka. There are TWO opportunities for this:
- DAS Lunch – KFB will invite all legislators to lunch on Wednesday, January 17, but you can make that invitation more personal and enticing by extending the offer too. Here’s what to do:
- Look up your state legislators using your address here.
- Find your legislators' contact information on the legislative roster here.
- Email or call their capitol office to extend the invitation.
- Share the date and time: Wednesday, January 17 at 12:00-1:30 p.m. on the first and second floor of the Capitol.
- Lunch is provided and paid for by Kansas Farm Bureau and will follow all legal requirements.
- KFB Staff will meet legislators in the lobby to give them instructions to connect with you easily during lunch.
- Meeting at the Capitol – your county’s delegates can meet with your legislator at their office in the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what to do:
- Look up your state legislators using your address here.
- Find your legislators' contact information on the legislative roster here.
- Email or call their capitol office to set up a meeting time.
- Find a time on Wednesday, January 17 between 1:00 and 4:30 p.m.
- Confirm their office location or desired meeting location.
- KFB Staff will be at the Capitol to help direct you to the arranged meeting spot.
How to pack: We recommend wearing business casual on Tuesday and business professional on Wednesday. You'll want to represent your farm, community, county association and Kansas Farm Bureau well and dressing the part is a big piece of this in Topeka. Business professional means dress slacks or a dress/skirt and a dress shirt, tie (for men) and blazer. No jeans please (even if they are your nice pair).
Questions?
Contact Edie Doane at 785-587-6102 or doanee@kfb.org for more information.