Food & Farm Caucus, Reflections 2025
Here’s a toast to the friends and allies of the Food and Farm Caucus of Kansas Dems.
Faced with the heartbreak in 2024, you persevered. Together we lay the groundwork of a brighter 2026.
Our goals this year were to grow the volunteer base, advocate for food and farm issues, and build impact with online and in-person communications.
We were active at Washington Days in March, with a program featuring former Kansas House minority leader and state Treasurer Dennis McKinney. We also elected and relected officers for the next 2 years - Bill, Sharon, Gayla, Tim and Justin. Thanks to Lee and with encouragement from Ty, we brought back the Tumbleweeds tradition for the Friday social.
On a more serious note, Food and Farm led our fellow Caucuses and state committee delegates in a rapid-response resolution supporting Ukraine and condemning Donald Trump's shameful behavior in the Oval Office during President Zelensky's first visit - which had happened just the day earlier. It was read with conviction and adopted at the floor of the Convention.
We helped with organization of the Democracy Fest events in the fall, bringing Democrats together in Colby, Dodge City and Hays. The Colby event in particular featured bonus field trips before the luncheon and a backyard cookout Saturday evening at Tim’s farm.
In Dodge City, the Caucus was happy to host a small hospitality gathering Friday before the event and we facilitated an audience comment session during the program. We represented ourselves with booths at both Colby and Dodge City and signed up more new contacts.
The KDP Platform Committee met in August to update the state party's official mission statement and summary of policy positions. The Food and Farm Caucus surveyed members before hand to ensure our views and concerns were reflected. Policy statements made or retained reflected our input on the Agriculture, Stewardship of Land and Water, and Thriving Communities policy chapters.
Our Harvest Blue website community grew to 16 groups - the cooperative website is one contribution we have made to building stronger communications among Kansas Democratic groups. The invitation is open to more!
The Voices section in Harvest Blue published fresh essays and insights from grass roots Kansas Democrats. The We Are Watching feature documented the chaotic year and frenetic pace of a President out of control.
Justin launched us on BlueSky at https://bsky.app/profile/ffcofkdp.bsky.social. We joined other Kansas Democratic groups there - please visit when you can.
We share content actively through our Food and Farm Caucus Facebook Page and we help shape the voice of a private Facebook group "Unyielding Kansans. Blue". Gayla and Stephanie have helped keep the content and moderation flowing.
Through these various platforms and in-person presentations to counties, we've built up our presence and network as a force for action. Various members volunteered to help staff the KDP booth at the Kansas State Fair [and we salute Mark in Rooks Co for his work in organizing both fair and platform work for the KDP this year]
We've publicized and supported the many demonstrations this year and have especially given visibility to the smaller communities taking action. Sharon has crisscrossed south-central Kansas with her husband Mike to keep connections, while other officers and Caucus members have built connections in their regions.
"Real Kansans, Real Voters, Real Fed Up" --- you may have first noticed this message on an I-70 billboard near Salina or on the social media posts that followed. Perhaps you've seen one of the other billboards that sprung up across Kansas or in the thousands of yard signs that were distributed.
This messaging campaign was launched by Salina Indivisible. Our caucus was honored to jump in early to help promote and coordinate transport of signs to western and southeastern Kansas (we have leads on a few left, if you need - Contact Us).
The commitment to this sign campaign had more importance than the signs themselves - though the signs are inspired! The campaign was an opportunity to work on the logistics network for political materials in the state --- logistics that will be essential in 2026. We also understand that in rural communities, signs are the first "thawing out" step that many take on their way to activism.
Our members have attended meetings of the strong non-partisan policy advocates in Kansas for Food and Farm issues - including Kansas Farmer's Union and the Kansas Rural Center. We look for policy leaders who care in all the spaces we can, and we are thankful to Stephanie as our newest advisory board member for her connectivity.
Tim and Justin got us launched with an ActBlue account in 2025, so it is easier than ever to Donate to the Food and Farm Caucus. We also invite current and past members to share your 2026 Dues donation of $20 per year. And if you are not a member, please join now by offering your 2026 dues and also sending us a note about yourself, your interest and your County. Any registered Democrat in Kansas who supports our mission is eligible to Join the Caucus. (Contributions are not tax deductible and all are subject to Kansas state PAC limits and reporting.)
We appreciate our full members who contribute dues and are thus eligible to vote on Caucus business. We also appreciate the wider circle of allies who receive our communications and engage and volunteer as they can. We are growing.
If you've read down this far, you are one of those committed souls looking to stay engaged and effective in Kansas policy and politics. We invite you to do that in part by working strongly with us in the Food and Farm Caucus - and we thank you for all that you do.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Prosperous New Year.
photos by Caucus volunteers plus 3 bonus christmas images from unsplash by sixteen miles out (book), jacob thorson (sign), and holly landkammer (wagon wheels)