2026 Fireside Chats Schedule

Farm margins are tight and volatility is the new normal. The farms that are thriving today often have one thing in common: they’ve built optionality into their business model. In this fireside chat, Cameron Rowe—Embedded Finance Partner Officer with Compeer Financial and Agri-Access—shares real-world examples from across the United States of farms that are successfully generating new revenue streams alongside traditional production agriculture. Rather than another conversation about how difficult the economics of farming have become, this discussion focuses on practical strategies farmers are already using to strengthen cash flow and build more resilient operations.

Ag retail sits at the center of some of agriculture’s most important—and most scrutinized—decisions, yet its story is often misunderstood, untold or highly reactive in nature. In this fireside chat, Mike Twining explores why retailers must do a better job of communicating their value—from interactions at the field edge to influencing policy and industry direction—and how stronger storytelling can shape perception, build trust, and support the technologies and practices the industry depends on. From local communities to Capitol Hill, this conversation will challenge leaders to think differently about advocacy, visibility, and their role in shaping the future of ag.

As ag tech investment shifts from growth-at-all-costs to disciplined deployment, the bar for ROI is rising. In this fireside chat, we’ll explore how investors are evaluating durability, scalability, and real-world adoption—and what that means for retailers and manufacturers building for the long haul.