Agenda
NEW THIS YEAR:
3 Days. 3 Keynotes — Starting Monday at 4:30pm!
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
AI That Actually Works: Practical Applications for Ag Retail & Co-ops
AI is creating a genuine and timely opportunity for ag retailers and co-ops — not just to run their operations more efficiently, but to deepen the value they deliver to their producer customers in ways that weren’t possible before.
Retailers already have the most important ingredient: trusted relationships with the farmers they serve. AI gives you the ability to build on that foundation — delivering real-time agronomic intelligence that helps your customers make better decisions on fertility timing, irrigation, disease pressure, and more. That’s a stronger customer relationship. And it’s a new recurring revenue stream on top of your existing business.
This workshop is designed to help ag retailers and co-ops explore that opportunity in practical, concrete terms. We’ll cover what makes AI recommendations genuinely useful at the field level, what it takes to deliver them as a service, and how to identify where that opportunity already exists inside your current customer relationships. Attendees will leave with:
• A practical understanding of what separates useful AI recommendations from high-level noise — and why data quality is the deciding factor
• A framework for identifying AI-powered service opportunities within their existing customer base
• A starting point for thinking about what that service looks like, what it’s worth, and how to build toward it
12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) Event (Add On)
Join us at the WiAT event at Tech Hub LIVE, where industry leaders come together to engage, mentor and advance women’s roles in ag tech. Join us in this one-day event supporting a movement that cultivates the next generation of innovators and strengthens the future of agriculture.
12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Executive Forum
Exclusive Event Limited to 30 Qualifying Executives
NEW FOR 2026!
4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
Welcome and Opening Keynote:
Real Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Food and Agriculture
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but what does it actually mean for agriculture right now? AI may run on numbers and models, but its value is proven in fields, facilities, and farmer outcomes. In this keynote, Teddy Bekele demystifies the complexity behind AI and brings the conversation back to agriculture, showing how the technology is already augmenting decision-making and where the next wave of opportunity lies. Expect practical examples rooted in real operations, not theory.
5:15 PM – 6:45 PM
Welcome Party in Expo Hall
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Networking Breakfast in Expo Hall
Join us for the networking breakfast to meet peers before the event begins!
8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
Tech Talks & Fireside Chats
Take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to hear from industry experts, including CropLife Top 100 Retailers, as they discuss their current ag tech programs, adoption trends, technology advances, and solvable pain points in the ag tech industry.
Big Ideas in 10 Minutes. While exploring the Expo Hall, stop by these fast-paced sessions to hear directly from experts about new products, services, and solutions shaping the future of ag retail.
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Day 2 Welcome, Awards, and Keynote:
Beyond Yield: The New Rules of Ag Tech, Trust, and Transformation
Join Karen Hildebrand, Global Agriculture Lead at Amazon Web Services and an active producer, for a keynote that redefines what’s possible in modern agriculture. Drawing on global insights, hands-on farming experience, and AWS innovation, Karen will share practical strategies and bold ideas for building resilient, future-ready ag businesses:
- The “Belt and Suspenders” Approach: Learn why adopting multiple technologies is the new standard for de-risking operations and ensuring generational success.
- Trust Redefined: Discover how AI agents are becoming trusted partners on the farm, transforming decision-making and risk-sharing models.
- Global Early Warning, Local Impact: See how cutting-edge systems—like real-time pest tracking in Africa—are being adapted to protect yields and improve ROI in the U.S.
Attendees will leave with actionable insights on interoperability, workforce transformation, and the evolving landscape of ag tech adoption. Karen’s session offers a unique perspective that will resonate with leaders shaping the future of agriculture.
10:00 AM – 11:20 AM
Breakout Sessions
Smart Tech Sessions
10:00-10:40 AM
AI Across the Ag Tech Stack: How Ag Tech Leaders Are Turning Strategy into Systems
AI in agriculture is moving from experimentation to execution. Leaders from across the ag tech stack will share how they’re embedding AI into equipment, software platforms, and decision tools — and what it takes to move from pilot projects to scalable, revenue-driving solutions. Expect real examples, real constraints, and real lessons learned.
10:50-11:20 AM
Drone Policy Update: What Retailers and Farmers Need to Know Now
From recent federal rulings to shifting import restrictions and new registration requirements, the regulatory landscape for spray drones is evolving fast.
This session breaks down what’s new, what’s coming, and how these changes impact operations, sourcing, and compliance. You’ll also learn about the latest test methodology for drone application and coverage efficacy, along with the ongoing work of the UAPASTF to advance standards and best practices across the industry.
Operations Sessions
10:00-10:40 AM
ESA in the Field: A Practical Survival Guide for Retailers & Applicators
ESA-driven label changes are here — and they directly affect how products are mixed, applied, and documented. This session walks through what mitigation requirements look like on real labels, how to interpret them, and what steps retailers and applicators must take to stay compliant. Clear examples, practical guidance, and answers to the questions your team is already asking.
10:50-11:20 AM
Targeted: The Evolving Threats Facing Ag Tech and Retail Operations
The importance of the agriculture sector to economic security is paramount. However, we are in an era where terrorist actors, foreign intelligence actors, and cyber actors are each seeking to target the United States for their own purposes. Agriculture’s nature as a highly diversified, geographically expansive, and small business-oriented sector makes it especially vulnerable to threats from these actors. The FBI will explain how the intentions of these threat actors toward the agricultural sector and offer best practices for defending against these threats.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Tech Talks & Fireside Chats
Take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to hear from industry experts, including CropLife Top 100 Retailers, as they discuss their current ag tech programs, adoption trends, technology advances, and solvable pain points in the ag tech industry.
Big Ideas in 10 Minutes. While exploring the Expo Hall, stop by these fast-paced sessions to hear directly from experts about new products, services, and solutions shaping the future of ag retail.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch in Expo Hall
Enjoy this time to refuel, network with attendees, and discover products and solutions in the Expo Hall.
1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
Roundtable Discussions & Fireside Chats
Get in the mix and join the conversation. Join your peers and industry experts in facilitated, interactive discussions focused on solving real-world challenges in ag retail—from ROI and tech integration to regulatory hurdles and farmer relationships. Pick a topic that matters to you—then share ideas, ask questions, and walk away with insights you can actually use.
Mixed Fleets, Messy Data: Making It Work Across Platforms and Partners
Artificial intelligence is moving fast—and ag businesses need to be ready. This facilitated discussion will explore how companies are beginning to adopt AI tools, what’s working (and what’s not), and the governance steps needed to prepare for increased use across teams and customer interactions. Guided by legal and compliance experts, participants will share challenges, ask questions, and walk away with practical ideas for starting—or sharpening—their own AI strategy.
Facilitator: Ben Craker, Portfolio Manager, AgGateway, and President, Ag Data Coalition
Setting up your ag tech equipment
More details coming soon!
Big Ideas in 10 Minutes. While exploring the Expo Hall, stop by these fast-paced sessions to hear directly from experts about new products, services, and solutions shaping the future of ag retail.
3:00 PM – 4:20 PM
Smart Tech, Operations, and Animal Ag Tech Sessions
Smart Tech Sessions
3:00-3:40 PM
From Seed to Signal: The Biotech Innovations Retailers Should Watch
Biotechnology in agriculture is evolving beyond conventional traits and chemistry into sensing, biological systems, and plant-driven data that can influence decisions at every level. Leaders from emerging plant biotech, retail operations, and the farm will explore how these innovations are being validated, adopted, and integrated into real field practices — and where the actionable opportunities for retailers and growers really lie.
Sponsored by
3:50-4:20 PM
The Digital Agriculture Panel Presentation
More details coming soon!
Operations Sessions
3:50-4:20 PM
Show Me the ROI: Where Retail Operations Are Leaking Margin
In today’s environment, operational discipline is profit strategy. This session digs into the hidden inefficiencies that quietly erode margin, from logistics and inventory turns to application scheduling, billing delays, and labor allocation. Designed for retail leaders, it focuses on practical levers that directly impact cash flow and bottom-line performance.
Sponsored by
Animal Ag Tech Sessions
3:00-3:40 PM
What Livestock Tech Adoption Gets Right (and Crops Don’t)
Livestock operations have rapidly embraced sensors, monitoring, and data-driven management—but what can row crop retailers learn from their successes? This session digs into adoption strategies, ROI measurement, and grower engagement practices that make animal ag tech stick, offering practical takeaways for retailers supporting crop growers in a digital-first world.
3:50-4:20 PM
The Invisible Opportunity: Biologicals Transforming Crop and Livestock
Explore the cutting edge of microbial and biological solutions being deployed across both crop and livestock systems. This session highlights trends in soil and feed microbiomes, crop/livestock synergy, and the regulatory and adoption lessons retailers can leverage. Attendees will gain insight into where cross-sector innovation may unlock new revenue streams or improve adoption strategies for their grower customers.
4:30 PM – 5:20 PM
Hot Takes from the Cab: What Farmers Really Think About Today’s Tech
We’re closing with the voices that matter most, the farmers who ultimately decide whether innovation earns a place in the field. In this candid conversation, our farmer panelists will react to the day’s discussions and share what actually drives adoption: What builds trust? What feels overcomplicated? Where does technology deliver measurable value—and where does it still create friction?
This isn’t a sanitized panel discussion. It’s about grounding innovation in real-world experience. Expect practical insights on what influences buying decisions, what support farmers expect from retailers and manufacturers, and what it truly takes for ag tech to move from demo to dependable.
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast in Expo Hall
Join us for the networking breakfast to meet peers before the event begins!
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Tech Talks & Fireside Chats
Take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to hear from industry experts, including CropLife Top 100 Retailers, as they discuss their current ag tech programs, adoption trends, technology advances, and solvable pain points in the ag tech industry.
Big Ideas in 10 Minutes. While exploring the Expo Hall, stop by these fast-paced sessions to hear directly from experts about new products, services, and solutions shaping the future of ag retail.
9:30 AM – 10:20 AM
KEYNOTE
Purdue/CropLife Precision Ag Survey: How Does Your Operation Stack Up?
Where is ag retail really putting its tech dollars? Join Bruce Erickson of Purdue University for a fast-paced look at the latest findings from the annual CropLife/Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey, the industry’s longest-running benchmark on precision adoption. In 20 focused minutes, Bruce will spotlight the technologies gaining momentum, where investments are accelerating, and where retailers may be losing ground.
Then, leaders from retail and cooperatives will join him for a candid 25-minute conversation reacting to the data. Are the trends playing out in their operations? Where are they doubling down — and where are they pulling back? Come ready with questions and leave with a clearer sense of whether your strategy is keeping pace with the market.
10:25 AM – 12:00 PM
Sales Enablement & Integration at Farm Level Sessions
Sales Enablement Sessions
10:25-10:55 AM
The Farmer Knows Best: Using CX to Win
Not all farmers or accounts are the same. This session dives into customer segmentation and journey mapping, showing how understanding your growers’ priorities, farm size, and decision-making style can help you tailor interactions and messaging. Attendees will learn strategies to build stronger relationships, drive tech adoption, and create long-term loyalty.
11:00-11:30 AM
Sell Smarter, Not Harder: Driving Real-World ROI from Data Collaboration
Precision ag tools, digital demos, and data insights are only as good as your ability to use them in the field. This session gives practical tips for integrating technology into your sales approach, making calls more efficient, pitches more persuasive, and helping your team win more business with less friction.
11:35-12:00 PM
Cracking Farmer Adoption: Case Studies You Can Steal
Success leaves clues. This session walks through real-world examples of retailers helping farmers adopt ag tech, highlighting what works—and what doesn’t. You’ll leave with actionable ideas to replicate adoption wins, overcome common hurdles, and boost ROI for both your customers and your business.
In the Field Sessions
10:25-10:55 AM
$3.85 or $4.25? The Grain Decisions That Make (or Break) Your Year
Grain marketing has become one of the most important—and highest-risk—decisions on the farm, yet many of those decisions are now made through apps, forward contracts, and automated systems that move faster than ever. With real money on the line and legally binding commitments, both farmers and retailers are navigating a more complex and volatile landscape than ever before.
This session breaks down how today’s grain marketing tools actually work, where the biggest risks and missed opportunities lie, and how farmers and retailers can work together to make smarter, more confident decisions in a high-stakes market.
11:00-11:30 AM
Show Me the Margin: Turning Farm Data into Better Decisions
Margins are tighter, volatility is higher, and every decision on the farm carries more weight than ever. Understanding your true cost of production—and how each input, practice, or technology impacts that number—is critical to making confident, profitable decisions.
This session breaks down practical ways to calculate break-even costs, evaluate ROI, and use your numbers to guide smarter investments, helping you identify where new approaches can improve both performance and profitability.
11:35-12:00 PM
Good Data, Bad Decisions: Why Your Tech Isn’t Paying Off (Yet)
Many farms today are collecting more data than ever—but turning that data into better decisions is where the real value lies. This session focuses on how to set up your ag tech, data systems, and workflows so that information flows cleanly from field to decision. Learn practical approaches to organizing, interpreting, and actually using your data to improve agronomic outcomes, operational efficiency, and profitability.
12:00 PM