Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee hosted a one-day Cultivate & Connect Conference on February 15 at the North Star Conference Center in DeForest.
Cultivate & Connect is the Promotion and Education Committee’s initiative to inspire, educate and empower Farm Bureau members and agriculture leaders by providing innovative learning experiences, networking opportunities and actionable insights for advancing Wisconsin’s agriculture industry.
More than 50 Farm Bureau members, collegiate Farm Bureau members, committee members and agriculturists attended the event.
“I wanted to attend Cultivate & Connect because of the speakers and topics,” shared Dodge County Farm Bureau member Danelle Miller. “This was a great event to learn how to reach customers. It is so good to know what organizations I can go to for resources to communicate with our customers.”
The event began with a pre-conference activity on Friday evening at Sassy Cow Creamery. Attendees met James Baerwolf, co-owner of Sassy Cow Creamery, and got a behind-the-scenes look at the family-run farm and creamery. Attendees also enjoyed networking and product samples during their visit.
The Saturday conference began with a keynote presentation from Tricia Sheehan from Dairy Management, Inc.. Attendees learned the steps to effective communication with consumers and practiced scenarios of commonly asked questions about animal agriculture. The morning continued with a keynote address from Brandi Buzzard, a rancher and creative strategist from Kansas. Buzzard spoke about fostering trust with consumers and standing up for the industry we love–agriculture.
Buzzard encouraged attendees to use their skills in their own way.
“You don’t have to have a million followers to make an impact,” Buzzard shared. “Every interaction you have in the grocery store, at a community event or in the classroom makes a difference.”
Afternoon workshop presentations included “Cultivating Consumer Connections” hosted by American Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee member Lynn Leahy and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Director of Foundation and Sustainability Communications Rachel LaCount. The event concluded with a workshop hosted by the WFBF Promotion and Education Committee inspiring attendees to use what they learned to take action in their communities.
“I know attendees left this conference equipped with new resources, fresh ideas and innovative practices to conduct impactful consumer outreach activities in their communities,” shared WFBF Promotion and Education Chair Steve Mueller. “Together, we can cultivate growth and success for Wisconsin agriculture.”
Save the date for the next Cultivate & Connect Conference on February 21, 2026 in Neenah, Wis.
Photos from the event are available here.
Cultivate & Connect is presented by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee and supported by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation.
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