Staying Engaged in a Season of Change
March 28, 2026
| Friends, Each week when I sit down to write the Ag Dispatch, there’s usually one headline or conversation that rises to the top. This week was a little bit tougher for me because, instead of one clear story, I kept coming back to the same realization: farmers are being pulled in a dozen very impactful directions at once. Every trade outlet features the same headline themes, including global instability, tight margins, regulatory hurdles, and policy uncertainty. But these moments also tend to bring out the strength of a community that stays engaged and works together to influence outcomes. A few weeks ago, I mentioned some takeaways from NC Ag Leads’ Imagine Ag Day 3.0. One moment that stuck with me came from a panel of economists. They didn’t sugarcoat anything: the agricultural economy is tough right now, and if you’re a farmer or agribusiness owner, you feel it every day. The impact on our community was clear and impossible to ignore. But the economists also made the important point that boom/bust cycles have been with us for more than 100 years, and our industry always finds a way through them. The issues we are seeing in agriculture today have been with us for decades, but the speed of change is faster now than ever before. Farmers have always stepped up in moments of national need, whether rebuilding after the Dust Bowl, feeding the country and our allies in World War II, supporting global food supplies during the Cold War, or keeping food on tables around the world through the COVID-19 pandemic. That perspective also made me think about the impact of a faster pace of change on an industry that rises with the sun, plants and harvests with the seasons, and relies on Mother Nature for a fruitful harvest of both plants and proteins. When we look at policy solutions to help our friends in agriculture, the pace of change makes it almost impossible for a single fix to fully address an issue. Real solutions take time, and they require iteration. They depend on consistent engagement, especially with new lawmakers who may not yet understand the full picture of our industry. We may not be able to slow the pace of change, but we can shape how policy supports agriculture through the tougher parts of the cycle. So, how do we do that? We continue to have conversations with each other and we trust that our peers are working toward the same goal: a strong, sustainable agricultural community. And we stay engaged, even when it feels repetitive. We’re seeing this in action every day: the outcome in House District 79, where the agricultural community stood together; farm groups staying engaged year after year and engaging the courts on crop protection tools, labor availability, and supply chain sustainability; and continued movement on the Farm Bill, including issues relevant to North Carolina like solutions for Prop 12, additional farm payments, and the Ag Labeling Uniformity Act. If this all sounds like something you’ve heard from me before, good! That’s the whole point. If we continue to work together and communicate our priorities, our issues cannot be ignored. Engagement is essential in moments when the collective attention span is short and being pulled in a million different directions. Which brings me to this invitation: on April 16, we have an opportunity to put these words into action. The NC Ag Partnership is hosting a special event to honor North Carolina’s agricultural leaders and bring together both new and established voices in our industry. It’s a chance to connect, to be visible, and to engage directly with the people shaping policy. I hope you’ll join us to strengthen our collective voice: Celebrating NC’s Ag Leadership Thursday, April 16, 2026 The Country Squire Warsaw, NC Business Casual Attire Dinner 5:30 to 8:00 PM We are pleased to be joined by a distinguished group of state leaders and agricultural advocates, including members of the North Carolina General Assembly and key voices from across the state’s farming community. If you are interested in attending or supporting this event, please contact Todd Batchelor at (919) 818-4370 or todd@ncagpartnership.com. Donations can be made online at ncagpartnership.com or by check mailed to: NC Ag Partnership 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 310 Raleigh, NC 27612 |
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| Tori Rumenik Executive Director, North Carolina Ag Partnership |