2026 Round Table Meetings
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