Agenda
| Thursday, February 26th | |
|---|---|
8:15 AM |
Departure to Meet with Legislators Hyatt House |
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
Lobby Day - Meet with Legislators General Assembly Building |
11:15 AM |
Photo at the Laura Copenhaver Women's Monument The Virginia Women’s Monument, Voices from the Garden, acknowledges the brave, creative and wise contributions of Virginian women. The monument is a metaphor for the often unrecognized voices that have been responsible for shaping our culture, country and Commonwealth for more than 400 years. |
11:25 AM |
Bus Departure to Lunch and Afternoon Sessions General Assembly Building |
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM |
Lunch with Panel Discussion Harvest of Hustle: Women Leading Farms, Families, & Futures brings together dynamic women who are balancing the demands of agriculture, business, and family while shaping the future of their operations, the agriculture industry, and their communities. Through honest conversation and shared experiences, panelist will explore what leadership looks like in real life -from field to capitol hill to the kitchen table – and how hustle, heart and vision have driven success. Kayla Lawrence is a fifth-generation farmer, agribusiness owner, and mother of two. Her operation raises cattle, sheep, and turkeys, while also producing apples, peaches, and a diverse vegetable garden with up to ten varieties each season. Through her family’s farmers’ market – now in its 73rd year – Kayla is dedicated to connecting with and educating the community about agriculture. Kimberly Foley is the President and owner of Foley Seed and Service. She grew up on a cattle farm and has been in the tobacco industry her entire life, but professionally since college graduation. She started her business with the love of seed and tobacco growers in mind. She has a B.S. in Crop and Soil Environmental Science from Virginia Tech, and an M.S. in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University. Professionally, she is a member of Farm Bureau, Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization, Virginia Agribusiness Council, National Council of Agriculture Employers, and North Carolina Tobacco Growers Association. She and her husband, and business partner, Ian, have three boys. Maxine Arey was raised on a farm in Augusta County where her parents were beef cattle producers and had a small equipment business. She married her high school sweetheart and together they farmed with his family for over 35 years. In 2010 it became apparent that a future in farming was not going to look like what they had envisioned for their family. They made the difficult decision to sell their farm assets in 2025. Their love for agriculture is unwavering, but life sometimes throws you a curveball…do you dodge the throw or catch the pitch and move in a new direction? You don’t know what the future will bring but Maxine definitely knows WHO holds her future and continues to look to Him prayerfully for guidance. A member of Augusta County Farm Bureau since 1984, Maxine has served in numerous leadership roles at the county, state and national levels, including AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Chair in 1995 – the second woman and first Virginian to hold the position; Virginia and National Young Farmers Spokesperson for Agriculture; and AFBF Task Force Chair, Ag in the Classroom Foundation for Ag Education. In 2025, she completed her tenure on the Virginia Farm Service Agency USDA State Committee. Maxine has worked since 1998 as a legal assistant for a firm specializing in tax law, business and corporate law, farm succession planning, estate planning and probate avoidance – especially for farm families. She loves spending time with her 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Sarah Barlow Rudolph grew up on a Century Farm in Louisa County, met her husband at Virginia Tech, and now farms in Wythe County where Charlie is from. In 2016 they purchased Double R Angus from the Porter family and today the Rudolph's have purebred Angus and commercial cow-calf herds, run stockers, have a small hog operation, and five expensive hay burners (aka horses) - Deets, Gus, and Jasper (colts they've raised and trained), and the kids' horses Pedro and SnotRocket. Like many farming families, Sarah balances a full-time career off the farm as a Veterinary Diagnostic Consultant for Idexx, running a territory with over 11 million in sales annually. When Sarah isn't working, or helping Charlie on the farm, she's likely AGvocating through her Facebook page "Farming in Stilettos", riding horses, ferrying Porter (10) and Blair(6) to sporting events, or helping at church. Sarah is active at the state level with VA Farm Bureau, currently serving on the State Equine Committee, and is also a past Discussion Meet winner at both VAFB and American Farm Bureau. Maggiano's |
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM |
Afternoon Workshop You Belong Here: Women Connecting Through Farm Bureau is a one-hour workshop where women in agriculture connect, share stories, and learn how Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Program helps turn passion into leadership. Maggiano's |
4:00 PM - 7:30 PM (at your leisure) |
Virginia Farm Bureau® Federation's Centennial Virginia Farm Bureau® Headquarters |
