AGRICULTURE POLICY 14TH ANNUAL LAND INVESTMENT EXPO If federal agencies impact your farmland portfolio, you’d better make your way to downtown Des Moines for the 2021 Land Expo. BY CARY ESTES owa has long been fertile ground for both farm policy and national politics. is has been especially true since 1972, when the Hawkeye State secured the pole position as the site of the rst presidential nominating contest in the nation. And since its debut in 2008, the Land Investment Expo in Des Moines – hosted by the Peoples Company – has evolved into a must-attend annual event for polit-ical aspirants, canny pundits, and o ce holders. ese Iowa traditions will be highlighted at the upcoming 14th annual Land Investment Expo, which will take place at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines on January 12, 2021. A March 9 backup date has also been reserved. In addition to farmland owners, institutional investors, and industry experts, political gures from all levels of government attend the Land Expo. After all, the business of agriculture is lled with a trove of essential political issues including foreign trade, tari s, 1031s, and ethanol. As a result, key politicos ock to Des Moines to attend the Land Expo, meet with thought lead-ers, and take grip-and-grins with Iowa voters. I ese include President Donald Trump, who gave the keynote address at the 2015 Land Expo, former Iowa governor and Secretary of Agricul-ture Tom Vilsack, political pundits James Carville and Mary Matalin, presidential biographer and speechwriter Jon Meacham, and a distinguished roster of governors, senators, cabinet secretaries, and White House sta ers. At the 2021 Land Expo, the highlight will be a much anticipated interview session featuring for-mer White House Chief of Sta Gen. John Kelly and former White House Director of Communi-cations Anthony Scaramucci. e duo will o er insights on a variety of topics, including national farm policy, in what is sure to be an intriguing exchange, especially since Kelly, on his rst full day as chief in 2017, red Scaramucci. Other speakers include Futurity CEO Jack Bobo, AGvisorPRO CEO Robert Saik, geopoliti-cal strategist Peter Zeihan, and country music sensation Easton Corbin, a former high school FFA member who studied agribusiness market-ing at the University of Florida before starting his entertainment career. DISTINGUISHED ROSTER Speakers at the Land Expo have included former White House staffers, Cabinet officers, governors, senators, and even a future president. 52 e LandReport | WINTER 2020 LANDREPORT.COM
The Land Report 2020.4: Page 52
