Recapping the 2026 APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly and Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Conference

More than 300 agricultural deans, administrative heads, and land-grant universities’ volunteer advocates gathered in the nation’s capital last week for the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly and Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET)’s 2026 Washington Conference.

The conference had a packed agenda, including: an update from the United States Department of Agriculture; a session on best practices for effective advocacy on Capitol Hill; a panel on strengthening and empowering rural America through research, Extension, and teaching; and programming on communicating the impact of land-grant capacity programs to lawmakers.

APLU President Waded Cruzado delivered a keynote address on the role of land-grant universities in shaping the welfare, stability, and economic success of the U.S. CARET also presented Representative Tracey Mann of Kansas and Representative Kim Schrier of Washington State with awards for their efforts to advance the Research Facilities Act.

The meeting also included two days of visits to offices on Capitol Hill, with participants meeting with lawmakers and their staff about the role land-grant universities play in advancing agricultural research, Extension, and teaching programs that strengthen the future of U.S. agriculture.

View a social media roundup from the meeting.