Inaugural Farm Policy & Business Planning Forum - POSTPONED

This event has been postponed to late-2023. We will be in touch very soon with new details and we are sorry for the inconvenience.

Join the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) & the Berks Family Business Alliance (FBA) for a forum dedicated to our local agriculture resources, businesses and family farms. This half-day forum will offer business planning, succession planning and financing resources to support this extremely vital piece of the Berks County community. We will welcome keynote speaker Representative Glenn "GT" Thompson to discuss the upcoming Farm Bill and the happenings within and throughout the ag community. Following our keynote, we will be offering panels on the topics mentioned below with a break for lunch and networking. 

About the Keynote Speaker: Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, Chair - House Committee on Agriculture 
Chairman Thompson is the descendant of a long line of dairy farmers and lifelong resident of Howard Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, Thompson represents Pennsylvania's 15th District as a proud and active member of the House Committee on Agriculture for more than a decade, Thompson formerly served as Ranking Member of the full committee during the 117th Congress and as Vice Chairman during the 116th Congress. He also has served as Chairman of the Subcommittees on Conservation and Forestry and Nutrition, and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

FORUM AGENDA
8:30 a.m. - Refreshments & Registration
9 a.m. - Welcome & Keynote/Q&A from Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, Chair - House Committee on Agriculture 
10:15 a.m. - Financing / Farm Transitions & Succession Planning Resources Panel
11:30 a.m. - Lunch & Second Panel
11:45 a.m. - Business Planning, Financial Planning, & Legal Panel 
12:45 p.m. - How to Market Yourself, Products, & Digital Media 
1:45 p.m. - Closing Comments & Networking