Kansas City just hosted the biggest gathering of future food + ag leaders … and the energy was loud. 850 students showed up ready to grow. 421 industry leaders showed up ready to invest. And together, they built a snapshot of where the sector is headed.

The Big Picture

At the 2025 AFA Leaders Conference, students from 108 universities jumped into leadership development, career readiness, financial literacy and cultural competence — all designed to prep them for a rapidly changing ag workforce.

The crowd itself looked like the future: 71% women, 15% underrepresented minority students and 209 first-gen students in the room.

Backstory

AFA’s four-track conference model has become a launchpad for early-career talent. What started as a leadership program in 1996 has now delivered 26,000 development experiences and $11.5M in scholarships with student participation up 28% in just five years.

This year’s record-setting applicant pool? A signal that the next generation is hungry for opportunities and the industry is paying attention.

By the Numbers

850 student leaders

421 industry reps

108 universities

80 employers at the Opportunity Fair

Soundbite

“Students don’t just learn about the industry. They develop skills and meet the leaders who will help them step into a future in food and agriculture.”— Mark Stewart, AFA President & CEO

Why It Matters

The ag and food system needs leaders who are prepared, adaptive and connected. Employers hired students on the spot. Mentors met their future workforce. And relationships formed that may shape the next decade of ag innovation.

Where This Goes

AFA isn’t just running conferences, it’s building the bridge.

If early-career talent continues to chase this level of development (and employers keep showing up 400-strong), the industry may finally get the stable, diverse, future-ready workforce it’s been waiting for.