Set against the backdrop of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the 2025 CropLife America (CLA) and Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) Joint Annual Meeting gathered agricultural leaders, policy experts, and industry innovators for several days of insight, advocacy, and collaboration. The event, themed “Elevating Our Voice,” invited attendees to reflect on how agriculture can more effectively communicate its value and respond to the challenges of modern food systems, regulation, and public perception.
Held at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, the conference provided an ideal mix of professional development and rejuvenation, featuring policy discussions, roundtable sessions, and keynote speakers who framed agriculture within a broader social and national context. This year, Jeanette Lombardo, CEO of the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), attended on behalf of FVC’s national membership of veteran farmers and ranchers. Her participation reflected the Coalition’s ongoing commitment to ensure that veteran voices remain represented in critical agricultural and policy forums, particularly where food systems and health intersect.
Championing Veteran Voices in Agriculture
As the head of an organization dedicated to empowering military veterans through farming, Jeanette Lombardo brought an important perspective to this year’s gathering. The Farmer Veteran Coalition works at the nexus of agriculture, national service, and community building, supporting those who have served in uniform as they transition to careers in agriculture.
Many FVC members live and work near military bases – areas where food access challenges and economic barriers often persist. Her attendance at the meeting ensured that the experiences of veteran farmers were integrated into conversations about national food security, sustainability, and agricultural advocacy.
The conference’s two keynote speakers, Calley Means and Jim VandeHei, brought perspectives that complemented the Coalition’s mission: one focused on the health and policy implications of America’s food systems, and the other on the art of communicating effectively in an era of noise and disruption.
Calley Means – Rethinking America’s Food Systems and Military Nutrition
Calley Means, Co-Founder and #1 New York Times best-selling author, is best known for his outspoken advocacy around reforming national food and health policy. Currently serving as a Senior White House Advisor under the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, Means has become a leading voice for reexamining the structural incentives that shape what Americans eat – and how those choices affect national well-being.
Means’ background blends private-sector experience with public health activism. He co-founded TrueMed, a company that allows consumers to use pre-tax health dollars to purchase nutrition and wellness products, and co-authored the book Good Energy with his sister, Dr. Casey Means. Together, they argue that the United States has inadvertently “weaponized” its food supply through subsidies, lobbying, and policy structures that prioritize processed, high-sugar products over whole, nutrient-dense foods.
At the CropLife meeting, Means commented on military food systems and the growing problem of food insecurity around U.S. military bases. He noted that while America’s armed forces symbolize strength, the food systems that serve military families often fall short of supporting their health. Supply contracts, convenience-oriented logistics, and outdated procurement rules have created a nutritional gap – one that contributes to metabolic disorders and undermines readiness.
Means’ presentation highlighted how food quality is both a health and national security issue, calling for a rethinking of the military food supply chain. His policy recommendations emphasized local sourcing, simplified procurement for fresh foods, and better collaboration between military installations and regional producers.
For Jeanette Lombardo and the Farmer Veteran Coalition, his message resonated deeply. Many veteran farmers live within reach of military bases and could play a direct role in improving food access if procurement rules were modernized to include local and small-scale producers. Means’ challenge to industry and policymakers – to “make healthy food the easy choice, not the expensive one” – offered a compelling bridge between public policy reform and the everyday work of FVC members across the country.
Jim VandeHei – The Power of Smart Brevity in a Noisy World
While Calley Means explored systemic change in America’s food infrastructure, Jim VandeHei, Co-Founder and CEO of Axios and former CEO of Politico, turned his attention to communication – how to be heard, trusted, and effective in a time of constant distraction. His session, “Being Heard in Turbulent Times,” was a cram course in strategic communication and leadership messaging for organizations navigating an era of information overload.
VandeHei, co-author of the book Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More With Less, believes that clarity and precision are no longer luxuries – they are leadership imperatives. He argues that in today’s “attention economy,” every word must earn its place. His “Smart Brevity” method encourages leaders to communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably: open with the essential point, explain why it matters, and offer additional context only if necessary.
During his presentation, VandeHei shared how this philosophy can be applied to advocacy and agricultural policy communication. In industries often weighed down by technical jargon and dense reports, he emphasized the need to deliver concise, credible, and emotionally resonant messages that connect with decision-makers and the public alike. For organizations such as the Farmer Veteran Coalition, his insights offered practical strategies to strengthen advocacy – helping ensure that veteran voices, rural communities, and food producers are heard clearly in Washington and beyond.
His session also explored how to maintain credibility and composure during times of public scrutiny or political turbulence. He noted that brevity is not the opposite of depth – it is the discipline of focus. The art of Smart Brevity allows organizations to control their narrative, inspire confidence, and cut through the noise without sacrificing authenticity or detail.
Why This Meeting Matters
The convergence of these two speakers – one redefining food policy, the other reshaping communication – perfectly captured the mission of the CropLife America Annual Meeting. Agriculture today exists at the crossroads of science, policy, and public perception. The sector faces not only environmental and regulatory challenges but also a need to tell its story more effectively.
For the Farmer Veteran Coalition, this meeting was more than a professional gathering; it was an opportunity to connect veteran-led agriculture to national conversations on food quality, health, and advocacy. By attending on behalf of her members, Jeanette ensured that veteran farmers continue to have a seat at the table in shaping the future of American agriculture – from how we grow and distribute food to how we talk about its value and impact.
As the meeting concluded, one message stood out: the strength of America’s agricultural voice depends on its diversity, its integrity, and its clarity. In that spirit, FVC’s participation in Lake Geneva reaffirmed the essential role of those who have served our country – both in uniform and now, through farming – to nourish its people and protect its future.
About Farmer Veteran Coalition
Based in Waco, Texas, the National Farmer Veteran Coalition empowers Veterans to build meaningful careers in agriculture. FVC offers resources, training, and support to help them transition into farming or agricultural employment. Through education, mentorship, and partnerships, FVC creates economic opportunities, fosters sustainability, and enables Veterans to continue serving by strengthening American agriculture and their communities.
Established in 2009, some of FVC’s in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for Veteran-grown products, MarketMaker, Hives Training Program, Fields4Valor Food Security Program, and the national stakeholders conference. For more information, visit www.farmvetco.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@farmvetcoalition/videos.
