2026 Round Table Meetings
Farm Foundation® Round Table
June 16-18, 2026
Beyond the West: U.S. Agriculture in a Realigning World
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Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Welcome Address
(Combined Powerpont – Session One, Cultivators, Session Two)
Speakers:
Cheri De Jong, Chair, Farm Foundation
Todd Van Hoose, Interim CEO, Farm Foundation
Session One: Strategic Uncertainty and Long-Term Bets: Leading U.S. Agriculture Through the 2030s
Moderator:
Ron Rainey, Professor and Assistant Vice President, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas
Speakers:
Mike Parrish, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability
Susan Stroud, Founder and CEO, No Bull Agriculture
Karen Braun, Chief Market Analyst, Zaner Ag Hedge
Cultivator Introductions and Presentations
Speakers:
Kalani Kiriveldeniya, Louisiana State University
Heidi Mahr, Iowa State University
Session Two: Industrial Policy Comes to Agriculture: Winners, Losers, and Unintended Consequences (Conversation Only)
Moderator:
Mike Seyfert, President & CEO, National Grain and Feed Association
Speakers:
Ertharin Cousin, CEO Food Systems for the Future; Managing Director and CEO FSF Ventures; Distinguished Fellow Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Visiting Scholar Stanford University Center-Food Security and Environment
Jessica Stephan, Logistics Director, Bunge
Chris Boerm, President, Global Transportation, ADM
Cultivator presentation
Speaker:
Samaar Davis, Fort Valley State University
Session Three: Beyond the Commodity: Rethinking Farm Income – Discussion Only
Moderator:
Mark Scholl, President, J&M Scholl, Inc.
Speakers:
Howard Halderman, President, Halderman Farm Management
Larna Fidler, Owner, Amp’d Up Ag
David Hill, Owner, Southern Hill Farms
Mateo Kehler, Co-Founder, Jasper Hill Farm
Chair’s Dinner & Awards
(Photo Slideshow)
Awards:
The Farm Foundation Book of the Year Award
Jay Akridge, John Foltz
The Farm Foundation Emerging Leader Award
Mya Price
The Farm Foundation Innovator of the Year Award
Joel Harris
R.J. Hildreth Public Policy Award
Andrew Muhammad
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Cultivator Presentations (Combined Cultivators and Session Four)
Speakers:
Brianna Croft, Mississippi University
Rundong Peng, Michigan State University
Session Four: How Global Regulatory Barriers Are Affecting U.S. Agriculture
Moderator:
Jim Schweigert, President, Gro Alliance, LLC
Speakers:
Vonnie Estes, VP of Innovation, International Fresh Produce Association
Dr. Carlos González, VP Global Regulatory Affairs, Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Brian Arnold, Senior Export Trader, The DeLong Co., Inc
Jason Hafemeister, Acting Associate Administrator, USDA
Cultivator Presentations
Speakers:
Raagav Vijayalakshmi Siva, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sean Walsh, Oklahoma State University
Session Five: Trade Policy in a Fragmenting World: What BRICS Means for Market Access and Risk (discussion only)
Moderator:
Michael Doane, Polysi Advisors & Doane Family Farms
Speakers:
Tyler McCann, Managing Director, Canadian Agrifood Policy Institute
Joe Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute
Devry Boughner Vorwerk, Founder and CEO, Stewardverse Strategies
Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1: Food as Medicine (powerpoint)
Speakers:
Stephanie Hodges, Founder, The Nourished Principles
Steve Brazeel, Founder & CEO, Elevated Foods
Breakout 2: U.S. River Systems Challenges and Opportunities (powerpoint)
Speakers:
Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President of Multimodal Enterprises, St. Louis Regional Freightway
Anthony Peña, VP Policy & Communication, National Association of Wheat Growers
Breakout 3: Future of Biofuels (powerpoint)
Speaker:
Jennifer Aurandt-Pilgrim, PhD, VP of R&D, Director of Innovation, Marquis Inc.
Jim Hedges, CEO, CoverCress
Breakout 4: Policy Innovation Sandbox Workshop (powerpoint)
Moderator:
Tim Brennan, VP, Programs and Strategic Impact, Farm Foundation
Speakers:
Janie Hipp, CEO, Native Agriculture Financial Services
Bruce Knight, Principal and Founder, Strategic Conservation Solutions LLC
Bob Easter, President Emeritus, University of Illinois
Closing Keynote
Speaker:
Mike Lee, Food Futurist + Innovation Strategist
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Tour A
Ag Coast of America Riverboat Cruise
Amp’d Up Ag / Schnitker Family Farm
Rose Acre Farms / Lincoln County Egg Farm
Tour B
Ag Coast of America Riverboat Cruise
Anheuser-Busch Day Fresh Tour
Bunge Headquarters & Creative Solutions Lab
Bayer Crop Science Lab
Tour C
Ag Coast of America Riverboat Cruise
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Center
39North & Danforth Plant Science Center
Anheuser-Busch Day Fresh Tour
El Paso, Texas
January 14-16, 2026
Putting in the Groundwork: Envisioning the Future of U.S. Food and Ag Policy
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Wednesday, January 14, 2025
Tour Day
Tour A
New Mexico Border Authority – Santa Teresa Border Crossing
La Primera Tortilla Factory
Lunch at New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
New Mexico State University – Chile Pepper Institute and Food Safety and Processing Lab
Tour B
New Mexico Border Authority – Santa Teresa Border Crossing
Seco Spice
Lunch at New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
Baked Chicken Farm
Tour C
New Mexico Border Authority – Santa Teresa Border Crossing
New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute
Lunch at New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
Stahmann’s Pecan Farm
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Welcome Address & Farm Foundation Updates
Speakers: Shari Rogge-Fidler, President & CEO, Farm Foundation
Cheri DeJong, Board Chair, Farm Foundation
(Presentation)
(Video)
Session One | From Dust Bowl to Data Farms: The Story of U.S. Ag Policy
Moderator: Keith Coble, Vice President of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University
Speakers: Steve Halbrook, Professor Emeritus, University of Arkansas
Stephanie Mercier, Senior Policy Advisor, Farm Journal Foundation
(Presentation)
Session Two | Power, Policy, & the Plow: Rethinking the Farm Bill for a New Era
Moderator: Craig Gundersen, Snee Family Endowed Chair, Baylor University
Speakers: Brad Lubben, Extension Associate Professor, Policy Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(Presentation)
Tara Smith, Executive Vice President, Torrey Advisory Group
Janie Simms Hipp, President & CEO, Native Agriculture Financial Services
Kip Tom, Tom Farms
Session Three | Fields of Data: Bridging Science and Agricultural Policy – (Discussion Only)
Moderator: Jay Akridge, Trustee Chair in Teaching and Learning Excellence, Purdue University
Speakers: Doug Steele, Vice President, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
Bryan Lohmar, Department head of the Agribusiness Department, California Polytechnic State University
Kevin Heikes, COO, Intent
Scott Hutchins, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, USDA
Jeremy Adamson, Director, Global Agriculture Policy, PepsiCo
Fireside Chat: What’s Happening at the State Level? Innovations, Ideas, and Realities (Discussion Only)
Moderator/ Speaker: Xochitl Torres Small, Executive Director, Quivira Coalition
Speakers: Ted McKinney, CEO, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)
Friday, January 16, 2026
Session Four | Conservation’s Future in a Changing Policy Landscape
Moderator: Ryan Locke, Vice President of Engagement, The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA)
Speakers: Trey Hill, Harbor View Farms
(Presentation)
Hayden Wands, Vice President of Global Procurement, Grupo Bimbo
(Presentation)
Matthew Denetclaw, New Mexico Rancher
Jenny Moffitt, Vice President and Senior fellow, American Farmland Trust
(Presentation)
Bruce Knight, Principal & Founder, Strategic Conservation Solutions LLC
(Presentation)
Hot topics in Ag Session/Open Mic (Discussion Only)
Moderator: Christy Seyfert, President & CEO, Farm Credit Council
Speakers: Darci Vetter, Principal, Sower Strategies, LLC
Jessica Agnew, Associate Director, CALS Global, Virginia Tech
Rob Bertram, Former Chief Ag Scientist for USAID
Michael Whitmer, Vice President, The Center for Food Integrity
John Hollay, President & CEO, National Council of Ag Employers
Session Five | Where do we go from here?
(Discussion Only – Watch for more information to come)
Moderators: Tim Brennan, Vice President, Programs and Strategic Impact, Farm Foundation
Morgan Craven, Director of Programs and Events, Farm Foundation