Online or in person, get ready to attend the 2021 Land Expo in downtown Des Moines.
BY CARY ESTES
Iowa has long been fertile ground for both farm policy and national politics. This has been especially true since 1972, when the Hawkeye State secured the pole position as the site of the first presidential nominating contest in the nation. And since its debut in 2008, the Land Investment Expo in Des Moines – hosted by the Peoples Company – has evolved into a must-attend annual event for political aspirants, canny pundits, and office holders.
These Iowa traditions will be highlighted at the upcoming 14th annual Land Investment Expo, which will take place at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines on January 12, 2021.
Register HERE.

Clockwise: Former White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly, Former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci, Sen. Joni Ernst, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Mary Matalin, Sec.of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, President Donald Trump, and Gov. Terry Branstad.
In addition to farmland owners, institutional investors, and industry experts, political figures from all levels of government attend the Land Expo. After all, the business of agriculture is filled with a trove of essential political issues including foreign trade, tariffs, 1031s, and ethanol.
As a result, key politicos flock to Des Moines to attend the Land Expo, meet with thought leaders, and take grip-and-grins with Iowa voters.
These include President Donald Trump, who gave the keynote address at the 2015 Land Expo, former Iowa governor and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, political pundits James Carville and Mary Matalin, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential biographer and speechwriter Jon Meacham, and a distinguished roster of governors, senators, and cabinet secretaries.
Register HERE.
At the 2021 Land Expo, the highlight will be a much anticipated interview session featuring former White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly and former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci. The duo will offer insights on a variety of topics, including national farm policy, in what is sure to be an intriguing exchange, especially since Kelly, on his first full day as chief in 2017, fired Scaramucci.
Other speakers include Futurity CEO Jack Bobo, AGvisorPRO CEO Robert Saik, geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan, and Country music sensation Easton Corbin, a former high school FFA member who studied agribusiness marketing at the University of Florida before starting his entertainment career.
Register HERE.