Ag Academy

“No civilization can survive the time when its agricultural economy is destroyed.” – Lloyd Noble

Ag Academy Overview

Ag Academy is an educational program with the purpose of providing a conduit for folks of all occupations and levels of agricultural knowledge to be exposed to the many facets of production ag, rural communities, and ag policy. The program runs from October to September. Focus areas are advocacy, leadership/service, education, and rural communities/farm families. Seven capsules are framed in a way that centers on self-paced introductory information followed by an in-person session of tours and speakers. The in-person sessions will be spread across Kansas to allow participants a first-hand view of the many components and faces of production agriculture across our great state.


Program particulars
  • Applicants can be members or non-members of Kansas Farm Bureau
  • Application opens July 15, 2024. Application deadline is September 6, 2024
  • Limited to 20 participants each year
  • Participants will commit to attending all capsules in the year they are accepted. The participation fee is $100 and due before the first capsule. Meals during the seven capsules are paid but participants are responsible for travel to and from, any lodging, and meals outside of the meeting. Assistance with carpooling communication will be given.

The capsules are listed below, and more details will be confirmed after the participants for this year’s class are selected. Locations are subject to change.

 

 

Date & Location

Topics Addressed

Capsule 1

Agriculture’s Foundation & Rural Communities

October 24, 2024

North Central Kansas
  • Farm families
  • Rural communities
  • Kansas Farm Bureau 101

Capsule 2

Ag Issues & Policy Development

December 9, 2024

Manhattan

Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
  • Issues/challenges affecting those in production agriculture
  • Kansas Farm Bureau policy development framework

 

Capsule 3

Understanding Policy Positions & Advocating for Policy

January 22, 2025

Topeka

KFB Day at the Statehouse
  • Understanding Kansas Farm Bureau policies
  • Advocating and implementing developed policy in Topeka and D.C.

 

Capsule 4

Technology, Commodities and Rural Communities

April 17, 2025

Western Kansas
  • Understanding the need for technology within production ag
  • Kansas diverse commodities and growing areas of the state
  • Leadership and volunteerism in rural Kansas

 

Capsule 5

Water, Markets and Ag Partners

June 19, 2025

Wichita/McPherson Area
  • The growing conversation around water, advanced water technologies, and water efficiency research
  • Regional markets for commodities
  • Partners in ag research, improvements in commodity usage, alternate use opportunities, and the innovative space for new ideas and inventions.
  • Industry supporting rural ag communities

Capsule 6

Worldwide Markets, Transportation and Specialty Crops

August 27, 2025

Lawrence/Kansas City Area
  • Global market opportunities and associated transportation
  • Specialty crop opportunities and niches

 

Capsule 7 

Graduation

September 17, 2025

Location TBD
  • Regenerative farming, research, program wrap-up


Click Here to Apply


All applications must be submitted electronically by September 6, 2024. Contact Pam Dankenbring at dankenbringp@kfb.org or call (785) 629-0005 for questions about the program.