Off-site Tour of Kansas City Fun
Cost: $129  (add-on to your TPS registration)

Join fellow producers for a fun-day filled with touring all the coolest places in Kansas City.  Stops include:  Arrowhead Stadium, Boulevard Brewing and Gates BBQ. Start with an exclusive tour to the home of four-time Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs while walking through the behind the scenes of Arrowhead Stadium. Next enjoy some BBQ at one of KC’s oldest barbeque joints, Gates BBQ, and finish off your day walking through Boulevard Brewing Company including tasting samples and a take home souvenir mug.

Sponsored by:

Win in Turbulent Times Pre-Event Workshop

Date:  Monday, February 17, 2025   Time:  10:30am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $189 (add on to your TPS registration)
VIEW THE FULL AGENDA HERE

Facilitated by Mark Faust, Growth Advisor
Pre Conference Workshop Sponsored by:   

Top Producer Summit Workshop: How To Win In Turbulent Times

In today’s challenging economic environment for farmers, consultant and coach Mark Faust sees opportunities for business growth. “With commodity prices being very low at break-even levels or below, how can farmers continue to move forward?” Faust asks. “Strategic thinking and exploring resource management are keys to improving profits and preparing for growth.” He’s facilitating a one-day business strategy bootcamp to kick off the Top Producer Summit. The agenda will cover:
Enhancing leadership, team performance, and bottom-line results

• Identifying what to delegate, eliminate and automate
• Examples of how to cut costs, not people
• Discover where to find and capture improved margins and implement with tools and strategies
• A farmer panel on how to drive performance

“In addition to multiple worksheets and interactive tools, attendees will be able to take away three of their highest profit improving opportunities,” Faust says.
Faust encourages any farm operation to send its management team to this workshop to take their strategic thinking up a level and think around the curveballs of today’s economic challenges. This workshop titled, “How to Win In Turbulent Times,” requires a separate registration which can be added during your Top Producer Summit registration online.

Come pick up your name badge before the PBR reception!

Join us in the famous Kansas City Power & Light District at PBR Sky bar for our opening reception!
Drinks included for all registered attendees. MUST wear your name badge for entrance to the venue and have valid ID to enter. Only those over 21 allowed.
 

Sponsored by:

Margy Eckelkamp, Brand Leader, Top Producer

Speakers: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins & Kansas Senator Roger Marshall

Speaker:  Byron Reese,Futurist, Technologist and Entrepreneur

Speaking across the globe, Byron brings great enthusiasm and talent for deciphering our common destiny and unlocking business opportunities within it. As a successful entrepreneur and
award-winning futurist, Byron employs his perspective as a historian, futurist, and technologist to illuminate how the technology of today can solve some of our most daunting global
challenges. As a futurist, he understands the unprecedented technological change upon us and explores the dramatic transformation of society it will bring. As a technologist and entrepreneur, he knows how to manage change and inspire innovation, while still meeting the immediate obligations and realities of operating a business.

Moderator: Tyne Morgan; Host, U.S. Farm Report
Panelists: 
Ben Brown, University of Missouri 
Chip Flory, Farm Journal 
Seth Meyer, USDA’s Chief Economist 

Speaker: Chip Flory, Host, AgriTalk

Choose one of the breakouts below to attend!

Shaun Haney, Founder of RealAgriculture

MODERATOR: Kelsey Barnes, Farm Journal Foundation
PANELISTS: Ken Nobis, FJF Farmer Ambassador (MI)
Mark Purdy, COO Aimpoint Research
Dr. Edwin Price, Texas A&M Professor of
Agricultural Economics
Gregg Doud, President & CEO of National
Milk Producers Federation

Rena Striegel, Transition Point Business Advisors

When things in business may seem like they are at a low point, it’s your chance to make the biggest moves. Rena Striegel of Transition Point Advisors will help outfit you to be bold in your actions during times of uncertainty. It’s time to not put your head in the sane, but rather be ready to take on opportunities.

Paul Neiffer, FarmCPAReport.com

Jim McCormick, co-founder, AgMarket.Net®

Choose one of the breakouts below to attend!

Matt Clark, Terrain, Senior Rural Economic Analyst 

U.S. agriculture has long operated under the banners of ‘feed the world’ and ‘grow exports’, but what happens when our top export partners reach peak population growth? How secure are our export partners?
How far are we away from peak global growth? This session will seek to answer questions around global growth and the next paradigm shift in agriculture.
 

Quint Shambaugh, Pinion

Sam Taylor, Rabo AgriFinance

Jeff Kazin, Agris Academy
Mike Rohlfsen, Agris Academy

Moderator: Clinton Griffiths, Host, AgDay

Hear from 8 new start-up companies looking to launch new products and ideas. Vote for your favorite and get first-hand intel into these innovative new companies.

Choose one of the breakouts below provided by our sponsors

Speakers: 

Sarah Montgomery, Research and development
Michael Prescott, VP Sales

Speakers:

Dr. Natalie Breakfield, PhD, VP - R+D 

Dr. Aaron Kelley, PhD, Chief Commercial Officer

Can a biological boost your on-farm profitability? Biocontrol technology leads the way in the next wave of biologicals. From bioinsecticides for CRW control to biofungicides for a range of crops, NewLeaf's science-led, data-backed, performance-driven approach provides new solutions to some of agriculture's biggest problems. In this session, learn about the vast opportunities in today's biological offerings as well as the differentiated technologies on the horizon that can impact your operation in the field and on the bottom line.

Lars Dyrud, CEO of EarthOptics

Unleash true optimization of your input dollars by turning hidden field data into actionable insights. This session will explore how mapping the physical, chemical, and biological properties of your soil can drive smarter input decisions, maximize efficiency, and boost profitability. 

Matt Scholz, Ph.D., Senior Project Manager, Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance
Chad Zimmerman, AgriFood Senior Director, BioSTL
Dr. Aaron Waltz, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Ostara

Phosphates play a crucial role in agriculture and are critical for all life. But conventional phosphate fertilizers are very inefficient, and nutrients not utilized by the crop can be lost to soil-tie, runoff and leaching, harming waterways. Most experts put conventional phosphate efficiency below 30% but can be as low as 10%. The industry and the world need a better way to grow crops that feed the world. In this session, you will learn about the problem, what crop buyers and consumers are worried about and what Ostara is doing to bring a real and better solution to phosphate fertilization. Come listen to 3 industry experts explain how you can help fix the phosphate problem. 

Speakers:  Mark Gold, Founder and Lead Strategist 

Moderator - Carson Britz, Sr. Manager Strategic Accounts, Nutrien Ag Solutions

Dr. Sally Flis, Director, Sustainable Ag Programs - Nutrien
Justin McAllister, Regenerative Agriculture Lead, Bunge Inc.

Nate Kauffman,Kansas City Federal Reserve

Sponsored by

Join us to recognize outstanding producers in the agriculture industry.

Dinner: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Live Awards Banquet - 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Moderator: Margy Eckelkamp 

Panelists:

Shane Thomas, Upstream Ag Insights
Shaun Haney, Real Agriculture
Ken Zuckerberg, Director of Global Research for CHS

This panel will explore the must-know topics and trends for your farm and business--from trade to technology, innovation to economics, and more.

Zach Arend, Saddle Your Own Horse™

In his signature keynote, Zach reveals the three critical approaches to becoming a Saddle Up Leader™. Zach will share his journey from small-town kid to 2x Saddle Bronc Champion and how that has shaped the leadership philosophy he now teaches to his clients. Be prepared to change how you think about your role as a leader. It’s time you put yourself back in the arena and create the results you want to see.
It’s going to be a wild ride!

Matt Clark, Terrain

Improvement in farm equipment have undoubtedly benefited farm 
productivity, improved farmer health, and added valuable family time
back to farm families; however, the cost of equipment is high. But how
high? This session will take a historical look at equipment costs, farm
finances and provide financial tips, tools, and metrics to consider.

Susan Stroud, No Bull

Join Susan delving into the transformative shifts reshaping the grains and oilseeds markets. Discover actionable strategies to identify emerging trends, mitigate risks, and build a resilient business that can capitalize on future opportunities.

Lance Woodbury, Pinion Global

One common metric of success for family businesses is the number of
generations the business has been passed down. Now it’s your turn…
but if you pass the family business to the next generation, and their
relationships are poor, have you truly succeeded? If you pass the family
business, but its financial position is dire, is your gift a blessing or a burden?
This session will offer a rationale for thinking about “the end of the family
business” to focus your energy and effort on a successful transition.

Rena Striegel, Transition Point Business Advisors

In tough economic times, you may be asking yourself, “Why do a I want to be a farmer?” Rena Striegel of Transition Point Advisors will help next generation producers and multigenerational farms identify the sources of friction in your business and relationships. She will help attendees outline clear outcomes and expectations to alleviate the pressure points.

Jim Halvorsen, CliftonLarsonAllen
Kelly Jackson Hardy, CliftonLarsonAllen

The ag economy is suffering and growers need to know how to manage their lending relationships, what information to provide and how the bank analyzes your statements. Recently I ran into a client that was being evaluated in a way that didn’t account for some of his equipment trades v. depreciation and it was negatively impacting him. He was sharp enough to know something wasn’t right, but couldn’t get to the source of it. It made him wonder about other farmers that don’t question things.

Moderator: Tricia Beal, CEO Farm Journal Foundation

Panelists:
• Sarah Tweeten, Iowa row-crop farmer.
• Tyler Lund, Kansas Farmer, FJF Farmer Ambassador and VP of Business Development at Veris Technologies
• Zane Not Afraid, Montana cattle farmer.
• Kelsey Barnes, FJF Government Affairs Director and young Tennessee farmer

Speaker: Chip Flory, Host, AgriTalk

Choose one of the breakouts below provided by our sponsors

Panelists: 
David Widmar, Co-Founder & Managing Partner with Agricultural Economic Insights​
Dr. Laura Lindsey, Soybean & Small Grain Production Professor at The Ohio State University​
​​​​​​​Jeffrey Mueller, BASF Seed Agronomist for Nebraska & Kansas

Mark Brungardt, Strategic Senior Marketing Manager at Fendt

Drew Showalter, Head, Corn Portfolio Strategy, Syngenta
David Schlake, Corn Technical Product Lead, Syngenta

Randy Dowdy, Valdosta, Georgia.
David Hula, Renwood Farms | Charles City, VA
Chad Scebold, Business Development Manager, Total Acre

 

Dr. Karl Wyant, Director of Agronomy, Nutrien 

Moderator: Tyne Morgan, Host, U.S. Farm Report

Panelists:
       Dan Basse, Founder & CEO, AgResource Company
       Drew Lerner, Founder & President, World Weather, Inc.
       Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist, StoneX Group

Sponsored by Taranis, BASF and Nutrien eKonomics

Eric Snodgrass, Principal Atmospheric Scientist, Conduit Ag

Weather risk in production agriculture is ubiquitous and the
successful execution of a crop plan requires accurate weather
forecasting and analysis. We plan our operations based on weather
averages and our experiences over recent growing seasons, but each
year presents a new set of weather challenges. In this talk we will
focus on how to use the abundance of weather data to stay ahead to
disruptive weather events. We will talk about the limits of predictability
for weather events and learn about the resources available to monitor
changes in the longer-range forecasts. We will talk about disruptive
technologies in predictive analytics —like Artificial Intelligence. We
will review the major lessons from the 2024 growing season and talk
about the high impact eventslike widespread hail damage, tornadoes,
derechos, the late summer/early fall Midwest Drought, and the
hurricane season. We will talk about the big seasonal drivers like
El Niño and La Niña discuss the outlook for the next 3-9 months. We will
finish with a discussion about the 2024-25 growing season in South
America, which competes directly with major US commodity crops.

Mary Kay Thatcher, Senior manager of federal government and industry relations, Syngenta

Josh Linville, StoneX

Fertilizer markets continue to see massive price volatility due to
global events ranging from war, tariffs, government interventions,
and more. Josh will walk the audience through what has happened
in recent months, what he is watching now, what to watch for in the
future as well as opportunities that farmers can secure when the
time is right.