Key Takeaways from Our Judicial Leadership Event
November 8, 2025
| Friends, I’m thrilled to share that the NC Ag Partnership hosted a wonderful event with our state’s judicial leadership this week. The room was filled with business leaders, Supreme Court justices, and appellate court judges who all gathered to have conversations that are crucial to the advancement of North Carolina agriculture. I want to extend a sincere thank you to all of the judicial leaders who attended and to our NC Ag Partnership supporters who came to be part of the conversation. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event! One message rang clear Tuesday night: the men and women who are elected to serve in our courts play a vital role in the success of agriculture and business in our state. They serve with a full-hearted mission to uphold the law in a fair and consistent manner. As our Chairman, Peter Daniel, reminded us, those who oppose agriculture and enterprise have often turned to the courts and litigation to advance their agendas when they fail in the legislature or with regulatory agencies. It is up to us as voters and informed citizens to ensure we elect principled, qualified judges into those powerful, law-interpreting and law-upholding positions. One thing we did together that night really struck me. We stood up and said the Pledge of Allegiance as a group. I can’t remember the last time I said the pledge, let alone out loud in a room full of state leaders. It felt both nostalgic and grounding and served as a reminder of who we are and what unites us. In many ways, that shared act has quietly faded from our public ceremonies, and yet it holds such profound meaning in a time when our nation feels increasingly divided. That reflection feels especially relevant this week. We’ve experienced historic elections that are stirring partisan discord and a government shutdown that has outlasted all others in U.S. history. But this Tuesday is the eleventh day of the eleventh month, marking Veterans Day in the United States. In Ronald Reagan’s 1967 inaugural address as Governor of California, he said this, “Perhaps you and I have lived too long with this miracle to properly be appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.” Veterans Day is a reminder to me of all of the people who have fought (literally) for our freedoms. My grandfather served in the Coast Guard in World War II and returned home with tuberculosis and just one quarter of a lung. My sister is currently serving in the Air Force, and we are lucky to see each other for just a day each year (cue the proud older sister tears). Their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of countless others, are what allow us the privilege of pledging allegiance to our flag and the ideals it represents. So this Veterans Day, I hope you’ll take a moment to thank someone who has served. And perhaps, just as importantly, take a moment to remember why we stand together, as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Best regards, |
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| Tori Rumenik Executive Director, North Carolina Ag Partnership |