Ivy Jean Reynolds is a visionary leader in agricultural policy with over a decade of experience driving systemic change for family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. As the Founder t of the Agrarian Policy Center, Ivy Jean provides expert analysis and strategic counsel to organizations navigating the complexities of modern food systems, translating dense regulatory frameworks into actionable grassroots strategies.

Prior to founding the Center, Ivy Jean served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Washington, D.C. In this pivotal role, she provided strategic counsel to the FSA Administrator and helped oversee operations for an agency of 13,000 employees. Her leadership was instrumental in developing innovative programs that enhanced federal assistance delivery and climate-smart conservation practices nationwide.

Ivy Jean holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Technology in Agriculture Business Management from SUNY Cobleskill. She blends high-level executive experience with a “boots-on-the-ground” perspective, ensuring that the voices of producers remain at the forefront of national policy.

Evanne Caviness is a proud rancher, agricultural conservation leader, and mother of 6th-generation Coloradoans who has been immersed in ranching in the Southwestern U.S. since childhood. She works as the Division Director for Conservation Services for the Colorado Department of Agriculture while co-managing Caviness Farms — her regenerative cow/calf, hay, and direct-to-consumer meat operation located in Bayfield, CO.

Having established her operation without intergenerational access to land or capital, she is committed to improving the landscape for the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Evanne is passionate about farmland conservation and preservation policy and holds numerous roles on nonprofit boards and government councils across Colorado and the Western United States.

Zach Ducheneaux is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. He was the 3rd generation to manage the family beef cattle and Quarter Horse ranch. His professional career started as a farm advocate for the Intertribal Agriculture Council in the 90’s and after a term on his Tribal Council, he continued to ranch and work with the IAC, focusing on finance and producer economics. Ducheneaux served as your Farm Service Agency Administrator for the Biden Administration, focusing on finance, parity for livestock safety net programs, equity, and conservation.

His work on finance reform continues through a company he created to demonstrate a better way to empower producers…5th C. Finance for producers should be an investment for the long term if we want long term results. Ag is profitable, Ag finance, when done to meet the needs of the producer is not risky. Paying for the use of money isn’t the problem, paying back the money too fast is.

Ducheneaux will give some examples and share what 5th C is building.