LEAP Conference

January 30-31, 2026
Sanford Center, Bemidji

The annual Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Promotion (LEAP) Conference is designed to provide personal and professional development opportunities for all Farm Bureau members.

During the two-day conference, attendees have the opportunity to take deep dives into agriculture issues during breakout sessions hosted by topic experts, develop their advocacy toolkit, participate in leadership and professional development experiences and expand their agriculture network by connecting with other members and leaders from across the state. There are also pre-conference tours, connecting attendees to agriculture and businesses located in the host city, and a service project in which members can give back to a unique community-based organization. 

Early Bird Registration (Before Dec. 19, 2025)

Full Conference: $200/person
One Day: $150/person
Youth (ages 2-12): Free
Pre-Conference Tours: $40

Standard Registration (After Dec. 19, 2025)

Full Conference: $225/person
One Day: $175/person
Youth (ages 2-12): Free
Pre-Conference Tours (based on availability): $40

2026 LEAP Conference Registration

Schedule


Friday, January 30

11 a.m. - Registration Opens

Noon - 5 p.m. - Pre-Conference Tours

  • Bemidji Woolen Mill
  • Lakeland PBS
  • Peterson Sheet Metal


2 p.m. - Pre-Conference Session

5 p.m. - First Time Attendee Welcome

5:15 p.m. - Welcome Reception

5:30 p.m. - Collegiate Attendee Gathering

6 p.m. - Keynote Speaker: The Iowa Dairy Farmer Dan Venteicher

7 p.m. - Welcome Banquet and Dinner

8:30 p.m. - District Networking and Game Night

                     

Saturday, January 31

7 a.m. - Registration Opens

7:30 a.m. - Breakfast and Programming

8 a.m. - Exhibitor Showcase and Farm Bureau Market Open

8:30 a.m. - Workshops: Round 1

9:30 a.m. - Collegiate Discussion Meet: Round 1 and Youth Session: Round 1

10:30 a.m. - Workshops: Round 2 

11:30 a.m. - Collegiate Discussion Meet: Round 2 and Youth Session: Round 2

12 p.m. - Lunch

1:15 p.m. - Workshops: Round 3

2:45 p.m. - Collegiate Discussion Meet: Final Round

3:45 p.m. - YF&R Discussion Meet: Round 1 and Public Policy Update

4:45 p.m. - YF&R Discussion Meet: Round 2 and Resource Course

6 p.m. - Leadership Dinner

7:30 p.m. - Closing Event and Evening Entertainment

Workshops, Speakers and Tours

Friday Keynote Speaker

Dan Venteicher, the "Iowadairyfarmer" is a social media sensation. He advocates for the dairy industry with truth and tact capturing the hearts of millions with his educational and humorous Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram posts. He excels at dispelling misinformation about dairy production and enjoys sharing about his day-to-day life as a young farmer. With 2.5 million followers across all platforms and 10-20 million reached monthly, he is one of the largest agricultural influencers in the world.

                     

Pre-Conference Tours and Educational Session

This year's pre-conference tours take place Friday afternoon and showcase businesses and industry in Bemidji. Stops include:

Bemidji Woolen Mills
Bemidji Woolen Mills is a century-old, family-run business famous for making high-quality wool clothing and footwear. 

Lakeland PBS 
The Lakeland PBS signal immediately reaches approximately 383,500 people over an estimated 7,500 square miles in northern and central Minnesota. Their Bemidji headquarters is a state-of-the-art facility located and is home to the KAWE digital television broadcast station.  

Peterson Sheet Metal 
Peterson Sheet Metal is a full-service mechanical contractor, providing expertise in commercial fabrication, designing, installation and maintenance of HVAC, ventilation and plumbing systems.

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For those not attending the tours, an on-site media and communications training session led by Kevin Jackson with Paul Bunyan Broadcasting will be held.

Service Project

More information coming soon!

Workshops - Round 1

  • Ag Entrepreneurship Panel
  • Public Waters Inventory Update
  • Talking about Farm Bureau and Inviting People to Join

Workshops - Round 2

  • Consumer Trends on Food & Farming
  • Getting Involved in the Election Process
  • Options for Farm Transitions

Workshops - Round 3

  • What Iron Mining and Agriculture Have in Common
  • Minnesota Trade
  • Finding Your Story - Featuring Members of The Herd

Hotel Information

Country Inn and Suites
927 Lake Shore Dr NE
Bemidji, MN 56601

Room rate is $129/night. Members are responsible for their own hotel reservations.
The deadline for room block reservations is December 19, 2025. 

Contact the hotel at 218-558-5174 and use group code: MN FARM BUREAU 2026, or use the online booking link.