Optimistic Keynote Slated for 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention

Bert Jacobs, co-founder and Chief Executive Optimist of the $150 million lifestyle brand Life is Good^®, will address attendees as general session keynote speaker during the 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention. When Jacobs and his brother John started the company in 1994, they had $78 in their pockets, lived out of their van and sold T-shirts on the streets of Boston. Jacobs will speak during the closing general session at the convention on Monday, Jan. 9, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His powerful message will include why he has championed the same mission for more than 25 years: to spread the power of optimism.

“We’re looking forward to hearing Bert Jacobs’ message because farmers and ranchers are eternal optimists, rising each day to grow a safe and sustainable food supply, but we all need a boost once in a while and Bert’s message is powerful,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We have a great line-up in January, including great speakers, big competitions and critical conversations about the farm bill and other top priorities for agriculture.”

While Bert and John believe life is good, they also know life isn’t perfect, which is why Life is Good donates 10% of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Playmaker Project, which helps over 1 million kids overcome the impact of poverty, violence and illness each year. In making their company a fully integrated for-profit/nonprofit model, the brothers hope to use their business as a vehicle to do good in the world.

Virtual and In-person Convention Registration

The convention will be held Jan. 6-11, 2023, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Duvall giving his annual address to Farm Bureau members during the opening general session on Sunday morning, Jan. 8.

In-person and virtual registration options are available. Virtual-only registrants have access to convention keynote speeches including those from Jacobs and Duvall, select workshops and Cultivation Center Stage presentations (town hall-style workshops covering a variety of topics). View the high-level convention agenda here. Learn more and register here.

The official event hashtag is #AFBF23 and the event website is https://annualconvention.fb.org/.