This week is Kansas Farm Bureau’s Centennial Tour. This event will celebrate Kansas agriculture across the state and highlight its diversity and ingenuity. There will be lots of good food, celebration and, most importantly, great fellowship. Kansas Farm Bureau has a lot to celebrate, and it will be a party from one end of this great state to the other.

While we should reflect on our accomplishments and what we have achieved over the last 100 years, this is also the time to look toward the next 100. What will this organization look like in 2119? Who will our members be? What will agriculture look like, and how will we grow our food in the next century? All are questions we should ask but also all are questions I guarantee we do not have the answers to.

In the next couple of months, we will get a report from our Strategic Planning Committee, which was convened to take a stab at what KFB will look like in the future. Committee members represent a cross section of Kansas Farm Bureau and the diversity of agriculture it represents.

In true grassroots, Farm Bureau style, each individual Farm Bureau member had the opportunity to provide input about the future of our organization and what it should look like. Everything was scrutinized, and every path was explored. No rocks were left unturned. What are we doing right and what could be improved? The committee worked tirelessly, and many hours, much energy and thoughtful contemplation went into the final document.

I cannot wait to see this road map we will be given to start our journey into the next 100 years. More importantly, I am so proud to be part of an organization that has the foresight to plan while celebrating the past. That kind of forward thinking is what has made Farm Bureau the voice of agriculture and a place for everyone involved in the production of food and fiber.

I am sure the next 100 years will bring even more innovation to our industry. I am sure we cannot even begin to imagine what changes will happen. I am also equally sure that Kansas Farm Bureau will be able to adapt, change and continue to be a resource for Kansas farmers and ranchers.

So, this week, lets renew old friendships, celebrate our accomplishments and enjoy the journey of the past 100 years. While we are doing that, we will be looking at the road into the future knowing Kansas Farm Bureau will continue to lead the way and continue to be the most inclusive, general farm organization in Kansas with a place for all producers. Here is to 100 years of accomplishments and to the next 100 years of growth and success.