Name: Identifying Policy Problems and Developing Advocacy Campaigns
Start: 2026-09-24T08:00:00-0600
End: 2026-09-24T09:30:00-0600

Identifying Policy Problems and Developing Advocacy Campaigns

Thursday September 24, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am MDT

Fireplace

Farmers and practitioners often encounter that there are policy solutions that do not properly address the problems they face. It is important for that reason to have policy solutions grounded in the experience of farmers and practitioners who operate on the ground and who implement policy programs. This session centers hands-on experience in identifying and addressing programming problems that farmers and practitioners encounter in their daily work by engaging with policy and advocacy experts who will facilitate discussion on how to appropriately engage with policymakers and agency administrative personnel. The session will illustrate how to find solutions in partnership and coalition to hurdles farmers and food producers encounter in making use of the programs made available to improve farm operations and practices in our food and agricultural system. Attendees to this session will hear first from advocacy experts who will present steps to be considered when launching an advocacy campaign, as well as different tactics used in efficient advocacy geared towards educating the general public, agency personnel, and policymakers. Attendees will then identify problems that they are facing or witnessing in farm operations including in existing programs or programming that could help fill a gap. Attendees will break into groups where session presenters will facilitate an advocacy exercise while guiding attendees through the steps and considerations to be taken when bringing the problem they select to work on to light, and specific and effective advocacy tactics to consider. The session will close out with short sharebacks and a panel discussion where participants will get to ask questions to the presenters to address barriers they encountered as part of their advocacy plan. The session will be divided in time with 20 minutes to hear from presenters on steps and considerations in developing an advocacy campaign, 40 minutes to work in self-select groups based on common interest and participate in the exercise. In the last 30 minutes, participants will share back with the rest of attendees and presenters their approach and ask the presenters the most pressing questions their group faced. By the end of the session, participants will have: - Advocacy basics, who can advocate, and the rules around lobbying - identify policy issues that can be improved in their area of work - reviewed tools and strategies to evaluate how these issues are experienced by the diverse populations they serve - Discuss specific tactics available and how your organization may employ them in a campaign - The importance of storytelling, and how you can turn that into a tool for effective advocacy

Speakers

Duncan Orlander

Policy Specialist, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

One Policy Specialist from NSAC will co-present and share components of their work in engaging directly with policy makers. Policy specialists at NSAC have extensive experience working to develop policies that reflect the needs of our diverse coalition, rooted in the experiences of... Read More →

Emily Liss

Will likely be Tim Fink, AFT's VP of Policy

Tim Fink

Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli

Nezahualcoyotl "Neza" (he/him) is a Senior Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Neza brings nearly 20 years of experience working in rural communities in Mexico and Central America and in the US South. His training in anthropology... Read More →

Thursday September 24, 2026 8:00am - 9:30am MDT
Fireplace

Agricultural Policy and Advocacy

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National Farm Viability Conference

Duncan Orlander

Emily Liss

Tim Fink

Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli

Attendees (3)

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Success you have shared X tickets.

National Farm Viability Conference

Duncan Orlander

Emily Liss

Tim Fink

Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli

Attendees (3)

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