Nebraska Farm Bureau President Recaps Key Takeaways from AFBF Annual Convention

NEFB President Mark McHargue recaps the Farm Bureau’s Annual Convention, producer sentiment in Nebraska, and discusses key issues facing agriculture.

CENTRAL CITY, Neb. (RFD NEWS) — Another American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention is in the books, bringing farmers and ranchers together this week in California to discuss issues expected to shape the agricultural economy in the year ahead. Topics ranged from rural development to market expansion, as producers from across the country gathered to share perspectives and set priorities.

Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) President Mark McHargue joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report after returning home from the convention to recap the event.

In his interview with RFD NEWS, McHargue shared highlights from the gathering and reflected on how discussions unfolded. He spoke about ongoing concerns around private property rights and the growing conversation around balancing those rights with emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers.

McHargue also addressed agriculture’s role in discussions surrounding the newly released dietary guidelines and what he hopes to see as those conversations continue. He touched on additional major topics that surfaced during the convention, underscoring the broad range of issues on producers’ minds.

The discussion also turned to markets, with McHargue reacting to Monday’s WASDE report, which reinforced a supply-heavy outlook for major U.S. crops. He shared insight into how that outlook is affecting farmer sentiment in Nebraska. Before wrapping up, he discussed preparations for the upcoming planting season and his outlook as spring approaches.

Related Stories
UNL Animal Science Ph.D candidate Anna Kobza joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report to share her agriculture story and tips for other producers hoping to share their ag stories online or with the media.
Let’s meet an inspiring young farmer leading the Tennessee FFA this year, but now has his sights set on the National stage.
Cindy Kovar with AgriSafe joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to talk about road safety and agriculture as we age.
USMEF CEO Dan Halstrom joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report for his analysis on the U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement, which includes big bucks for U.S. Beef.
Fewer cattle on feed suggest smaller slaughter numbers this winter, which could support strong prices if beef demand holds firm.
RFD-TV Markets Expert Tony St. James breaks down the state of agribusiness and harvest progress across each region of the United States for the week of Monday, September 22, 2025.
While symbolic, the WTO’s youth hackathon reflects growing calls for creative approaches to food trade and security, with potential implications for reducing losses, expanding biofuel markets, and stabilizing grain flows.
Chad Collin, founder of The Quack Pack USA, joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to share his expertise in training Border Collies to serve as indispensable farm and ranch dogs.
Lawmakers and ag industry groups welcomed the confirmations, citing the direct impact of these leaders on western ranchers, water and land management, conservation programs, and regulatory reform.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, adding a decade of experience in the digital side of broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum discusses key outcomes from the U.S.-China trade agreement and the benefits of expanding trade across Southeast Asia.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to discuss the implications for farmers.
Chris Bliley with Growth Energy discusses ongoing concerns about U.S. ethanol exports and the expansion of market access promised under the Phase One deal between the U.S. and China.
“It does not extinguish right away here — in any sort of sense — the real profitability concerns and people’s ability to pay bills and get to the other side of this in the very short term. This is where the skepticism builds.”
RFD-TV tax expert Roger McEowen discusses the renewed tax provision and how cattle producers can take advantage of it to recover investments in heifer retention and herd expansion more quickly.
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) shares his perspective on the U.S.-China trade developments and their potential impact on American producers, farmers, and ranchers.
Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
The goal of “Where the Food Comes From” is as simple as its name implies — host Chip Carter takes you along on the journey of where our food comes from — and we don’t just mean to the supermarket (though that’s part of the big picture!). But beyond where it comes from, how it gets there, and all the links in the chain that make that happen.