Tuesday, June 6

11:00                      Registration Open 

1:15-1:30 pm        Welcome & Opening Remarks 

12:00 - 1:00 pm  NGA Government Relations Committee Meeting ( Lunch Served) (Committee Members & Invited Guests Only)

1:30 - 2:30 pm    Advocacy Training: Making the Most of Your Hill Meetings

NGA is bringing in the premier advocacy training organization in DC, the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), to teach you how to speak with your members of Congress and have an impact. CMF’s citizen-advocate training will provide insights from Congressional staff about how to get the positive results in your meetings. During this session you will learn how to better:

      • Build relationships with your Members of Congress and why It’s Important
      • What to do before, during and after meeting with your member of Congress
      • Mine your network for connections to Congress
      • Tell effective stories that influence lawmakers’ decisions
      • Host local events to engage members of Congress

2:30 - 3:15 pm    From Swipe Fees to Power Buyers: The Antimonopoly Movement's Impact on Food Retail

Session Speakers: Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice

Independent grocers and their wholesalers play a crucial role in communities across the U.S. However, Swipe Fees and the unfair advantages of power buyers are harming community grocers. In this session, we will discuss how these issues are impacting grocers and how the burgeoning anti-monopoly movement provides an opportunity for NGA and its members to fight the Visa Mastercard duopoly and level the playing field against dominant retail power buyers. In a fireside chat format, NGA’s Chris Jones will discuss these issues and more with Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, the trailblazing head antitrust official at the Department of Justice who has ushered in a new era of stricter antitrust scrutiny across the economy, but especially in the food and agriculture and payments sectors.

3:15 - 3:45 pm    Networking Break

3:45 - 4:30 pm   Oh SNAP, Another Food Fight: How to Navigate Farm Bill Lobbying

Session Speakers: Barbara Hiden, American Beverage Association | James Glueck, Torrey Advisory Group

SNAP is on the chopping block this year with the debt ceiling fight and the Farm Bill negotiations happening simultaneously. During this panel session, you will learn from two experts in the field who have significant Farm Bill wins under their belts. James Glueck was the top staffer for Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts and Barbara Hiden has decades of advocacy experience in the food industry. Led by NGA’s Stephanie Johnson, they will explore how a Farm Bill comes together, what has to go right, what can go wrong, and what are the key themes you should be thinking about when you are meeting with your members of Congress.

4:30 - 5:30 pm   2024 Presidential Politics and it's Impact in Washington

Session Speaker: Chris Stirewalt, Political Analyst, Commentator and Best-Selling Author

For more than 20 years, Chris Stirewalt has been a leading and trusted voice in U.S. politics. One of today’s liveliest political commentators, he is highly regarded for his candid and straightforward analysis of our current political climate. Currently the politics editor of NewsNation and former political editor of Fox News, Stirewalt will discuss how the 2024 presidential race is shaping up and how it’s impacting the policymaking process on Capitol Hill. Popular on news and within political circles for offering the perfect balance between hard-hitting takeaways and entertaining personal and professional anecdotes, Stirewalt is perfectly positioned to discuss the latest happenings in Washington.

5:30 - 7:00 pm    Welcome Reception

7:00 - 9:00 pm    PAC Fundraiser Dinner (Invite Only)

 

Wednesday, June 7 

7:30 - 8:30 am    Breakfast Briefing at The Darcy

8:30 - 9:30 am    Transfer to the Hill

9:30 - 4:30 pm    Congressional Visits

4:30 - 6:00 pm    Congressional Reception on Capitol Hill