The third annual Diversity in Agriculture Conference will be held Sept. 14 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Little Rock. The conference is an effort to expand the awareness of the career and business opportunities that exist in agriculture and provide information on resources available to agriculture producers of all sizes to help improve or maximize their operations.

The conference begins at 9 a.m. and attendees will hear from Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward; Deacue Fields, vice president of agriculture for the University of Arkansas System; Dewayne Goldmon, USDA Senior Advisor for Racial Equity and other expert panelists and speakers. There will be discussions or property and heirs featuring representatives of the National Ag Law Center at the University of Arkansas and the FSA Outreach Office, Arkansas farmers sharing personal success stories, a discussion of state and federal resources available to farmers and more.

The keynote speaker will be inspirational rodeo star Amberley Snyder. Snyder began competing in barrel racing with horses at the age of 7 and competed in junior rodeos through high school, winning a variety of titles and honors. She was also Utah FFA State President in 2009. In 2010, she was involved in a truck accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down, but she has continued her career and still competes in barrel racing in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. A 2019 Netflix film, “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” is based on her life.

“Last year’s conference was virtual, but still had tremendous participation. We’re excited to be in-person again and about the speakers and panelists we have lined up,” said Philip Powell, ArFB’s assistant director of local affairs and rural development, who is coordinating the event.

Attendance is free and includes lunch, but registration is required. Click here to find additional details and a link to registration. For more information, contact Powell at 501-228-1627 or philip.powell@arfb.com.  

Arkansas Farm Bureau has worked closely with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation, the University of Arkansas, UA Cooperative Extension Service, UA-Pine Bluff and the National Center for Appropriate Technology in planning the event.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private farm and rural advocacy organization of almost 190,000 member families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

For more information, contact:

Steve Eddington                                                                     
(501) 228-1383                                                                        
steve.eddington@arfb.com                   

or

Rob Anderson
(501) 228-1640
rob.anderson@arfb.com