Sessions

Tuesday, July 25

We are pleased to offer Tech Hub LIVE attendees the opportunity to earn CCA CEUs by participating in our informative
sessions, ensuring continuous professional development and recognition in the industry.

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

OPENING KEYNOTE

Welcome from CropLife Editor, Lara L. Sowinski
CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence Presentation
Ever.ag Sponsor Welcome
Keynote Presentation

Sponsored by

Welcome to the first fully integrated data-driven agriculture event that fills the education and networking gap needed to achieve progress: Tech Hub LIVE! Listen in as CropLife Media Group Editor Lara Sowinski shares some highlights of what’s in store for you in the next two days.

Keynote Presentation

From Space to Soil: How NASA Data and Tools are Supporting a Revolution in Ag Tech

Dr. Whitcraft will be discussing the grand arc of satellite data for agriculture, focusing on recent innovation-enablers such as new satellites, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and the cloud, as well as what needs to happen next to move us forward in digital agriculture, particularly through the lens of sustainability and global change. Dr. Whitcraft will highlight examples from NASA Harvest, NASA Acres, and related efforts, and identify opportunities to progress together.

Keynote Speaker:

Dr. Alyssa K. Whitcraft, Executive Director of NASA Acres and Co-Founding Deputy Director of NASA Harvest

Location: Grand Ballroom, Level 4
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

Maximizing Your Investment: Expert Insights on Building and Executing a Digital Strategy that Drives ROI

Representing a compelling cross-section of the agriculture value chain, this expert panel will explore different approaches to digital strategy drawing on their own experiences in the industry. Whether you are building on current programs or pivoting your digital strategy, this session will provide ideas and building blocks to implement in your business.

By attending this session, you’ll walk away with actionable insights and strategies to:

  • Better understand where you are on your digital journey, and where you want to go
  • Gain insight into the digital aspirations of your trading partners, what tools are available to help, and where collaboration might be possible and beneficial
  • Overcome common obstacles to developing a digital strategy, and recognize existing and emerging opportunities in the market that will accelerate ROI

Moderator:
Paul Schrimpf, Director of Marketing and Communications, AgGateway 

Panelists: 
Tracy Linbo, Chief Commercial Officer, AgVend
Ben Craker,
President, Ag Data Coalition
Brian Lutz, Vice President, Agricultural Solutions, Corteva Agriscience

Location: Room 305-310, Level 3
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5

Building a Winning Team: Key Strategies for Attracting, Engaging, and Retaining Top Talent

In this session, you’ll discover surprising new strategies to fire up your talent pipeline and take your team to the next level. Gain a deeper understanding of the current workforce generational gap to better adapt for the next 5-10 years.

Here are some key takeaways that you can expect to gain from attending:

  • Unlock new strategies for attracting and retaining top talent to reduce turnover costs
  • Gain insights into the latest hiring trends and workforce generational gaps in agribusiness to stay ahead of the curve
  • Learn how to leverage technology to drive productivity and engagement among your team

Moderator: Daren Coppock, President and CEO, Agricultural Retailers Association

Panelists:
Caity Heap, Agronomy Recruiting and Education Specialist, Heritage FS
Justin Quigley, Founder & CEO, Fresh Talent
Mark Waschek, President, Ag1Source  

Location: Room 315-320, Level 3
Professional Development CEUs: 0.5

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

From Concept to Reality: An Inside Look at the Latest Autonomous Equipment and Robotics Innovations

Leverage panelists’ insights from two decades of real-world experience and in-the-field problem solving. Learn how to get progressively sophisticated autonomous implementations into your business faster, safer, and more efficiently.

In this session, you will:

  • Discover how to choose the right equipment and partner for your unique needs
  • Gain insights into the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) advancements for autonomous farming
  • Learn about integration and interoperability issues to overcome when implementing autonomous farming technology

Moderator: Paul Welbig, Director of Business Development, Raven Industries

Presenters:
Meiko Martin, Director of Business Development – Autonomy, Trimble
Adam Gaynor, Senior Engineer, Sabanto
Ben Voss, Director of Sales, Raven Industries

Location: Room 305-310, Level 3
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5

From Field to Flight: Maximizing Your Drone Investment

The promise of drones for scouting and application remains and they continue to be a “popular investment” in agriculture. Before making a purchase, it’s essential to understand the cost/benefit analysis. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest improvements and advancements in spray drone technology.

Learn what’s new and what’s coming down the pipeline for spraying, scouting, beneficial insect release, and other uses, plus:

  • Review case-study examples of how drones and services were integrated into an ag retail operation
  • Navigate the legal requirements to fly drones and spray, as well as understand the impact of changing FAA regulations on your operation, to ensure compliance and safety
  • Hear best practices on maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) to maximize the life of your drone and minimize downtime, repair costs, and lost productivity

Moderator:
Dan Frieberg, President, Premier Crop Systems

Panelists:
Jason Leary, Ag Technology Manager, Crystal Valley
Cody Ray, Precision Ag Manager, Henry Farmers Co-op
Adam Gittins, General Manager, HTS Ag
Arthur Erickson, CEO, Hylio

Location: 315-320
Integrated Pest Management CEUs: 0.5

4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

The Future of Sustainable Farming: The Ag Distribution Chain’s Role in Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Get valuable insights from Ag’s Sustainability Survey results into the latest trends and technologies in climate-smart agriculture that can help you improve your farm’s sustainability, profitability, and accuracy in forecasting.

Get ready to dive into the following CSA essentials:

  • Review the ABCs of CSA and gain a better understanding of who, what, when, where, and how to implement it in your farm operations
  • Explore soil health and water strategies that improve farm profitability and promote sustainability for growers in different regions and climates
  • Address the elephant in the room, the financial cost of compliance and how to get to a place of positive impact for your bottom line

Moderator: Amy Waite, Associate, Faegre Drinker

Panelists:
Mariah Murphy, Director of Field Services, Truterra
Kathleen Glass, Vice President of Marketing, AquaSpy
Dan Mongeau, Senior Director of Channel Partnerships, Indigo Ag

Location: Room 305-310, Level 3
Soil and Water Management CEUs: 0.5

The Dirt on Soil: Collecting Reliable Data for Improved Agronomic Decisions and Technology Deployment

Accurate soil data is critical for making informed agronomic decisions and deploying technology effectively. You’ll hear how to collect reliable data and build grower trust for better outcomes. By attending this session, you will:

By attending this session, you will:

  • Learn repeatable soil sampling methods that deliver consistent, high-quality results and build grower buy-in
  • Leverage agronomist knowledge to increase customer confidence and retention, and connect good data back to dealer/agronomist opportunities
  • Analyze successful soil sampling trends for frequency, intensity, and data usage, and discover how to reproduce the same success in your own operation

Speakers:
Carolyne Vowell, Product Manager, Sustainability Lead, Soiltech Wireless
Chris Nelson, Accounts Development Lead, SoilView 

Location: Room 315-320, Level 3
Soil and Water Management CEUs: 0.5

4:55 PM – 5:45 PM

GENERAL SESSION

In Their Own Words: Direct Feedback from Farmers on Data Management and Ag Tech Adoption

Hear directly from farmers about their challenges and experiences with autonomy, data management, and implementing climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Use their insights to improve your services and build stronger customer relationships.

This valuable discussion will help attendees:

  • Gain valuable feedback on autonomy and how farmers are utilizing and managing data to inform their decisions
  • Learn firsthand about the challenges and successes of ag tech adoption from the perspective of farmers
  • Identify areas where you can better support your customers in their sustainability efforts and build stronger relationships

Moderator:
Kyle Daeley, Associate Director – Food & Agriculture Practice, Publicis Sapient

Farmer Panelists: 
Doug Applegate, President, Applegate Acres and CEO/Owner, Praxidyn
Scott HenryPartner, LongView Farms
Jason Kieser, CEO/Owner, Creekwood Ag

Location: Grand Ballroom, Level 4
Crop Management CEUs: 1

Wednesday, July 26

9:00 AM – 9:45 AM

Raising the Bar: Strategies for Ag Retailers to Elevate Their Value Proposition

In today’s data-driven agricultural landscape, agronomists are essential in making data exchangeable and standardized for multiple stakeholders. Join us in this session to discuss the obstacles and requirements for improving data traceability and transparency and strategize how to ensure product and data integrity.

Join our panel of industry experts to:

  • Discuss what’s blocking and what’s needed to improve traceability and transparency for agricultural data
  • Strategize how best to assure product and data integrity
  • Understand the critical role of agronomists in making data exchangeable and standardized for multiple stakeholders

Moderator: Ernie Chappell, President, Ever.Ag Agribusiness

Panelists:
Amy Winstead, Vice President, Retail Sales & Operations, GreenPoint Ag
Patrick Sanders, Director of Digital Agronomy, Nutrien Ag Solutions
Ryan Risdal, President, Ag Solutions, Proagrica
Ryan Meister, Vice President of Digital Transformation, Frontier Cooperative

Location: Room 305-310, Level 3
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5

Modernizing Scouting: Embracing Innovation for Enhanced Crop Health and Yield

Scouting can make or break the success of your crop. This session will teach you how to integrate technology into your scouting practices to protect yield, prioritize resources, and maximize productivity.

Join us to learn how to modernize your techniques and take your crop health and yield to the next level:

  • Gain practical approaches to high resolution imagery for directed scouting and prescriptions
  • Learn how to identify field issues before they become major problems, enabling you to take proactive measures to protect your crops
  • Discover innovative approaches to improve scouting productivity and mitigate the pressures of labor challenges in agriculture

Moderator:
Jeff Wessels, Acre + Precision Ag Manager, Frenchman Valley Coop 

Panelists:
Sarah Betzold, Vice President of Retail, Taranis
Kevin Krieg,
Director, Business Development, Intelinair

Location: Room 315-320, Level 3
Integrated Pest Management CEUs: 0.5

9:45 AM – 10:30 AM

From Farm to Table: Finding Common Ground in the ‘Messy Middle’ of Agriculture

Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to bridge the gap between ag tech and ag retail in the “messy middle” of agriculture. Learn how to overcome challenges and improve collaboration across the supply chain.

Attend this session to:

  • Identify key gaps in the ag tech tools needed to better align with farmers’ needs and ag retail
  • Discuss strategies for building more productive and mutually beneficial relationships between retailers and farmers
  • Gain a new perspective on operations along the ag supply chain, and discover how to plan for future challenges and opportunities

Presenter:
Mary Tangen, Vice President of Product, Bushel

Location: Room 305-310, Level 3
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5

On-Farm Evolution of Nutrient Management: Balanced Fertility and the Technology Driving It

In this session, we will explore how to adapt nutrient programs on the farm, to increase efficiency and profitability, while examining the economic, social, and environmental pressures that affect fertilizer decisions.

Join us and pick up strategies to:

  • Optimize nitrogen placement and amount
  • Address the imperative of digitizing nitrogen use all the way through the value chain
  • Present region-based tools and information to growers more effectively to improve their crop and profitability

Speaker:
Markus Braaten, CCA, Market Development Manager, Digital Agronomy, Yara North America 

Location: Room 315-320, Level 3
Nutrient Management CEUs: 0.5

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

CLOSING SESSION

Purdue/CropLife Retail Precision Adoption Survey: Technologies with the Most Promise for 2024

Precision agriculture is an ever-evolving field, with new trends and technologies emerging all the time. In this session, you’ll gain a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in precision agriculture and learn how to navigate the evolving landscape.

Here are some key takeaways that you can expect to gain from attending this session:

  • Discover the latest precision agriculture technologies and how they can be applied to your operation to increase yield and optimize efficiency
  • Learn how to effectively use data analytics to gain insights into your operation and make data-driven decisions
  • Explore strategies for overcoming common challenges in precision agriculture, such as integrating new technologies and managing data security and privacy concerns

Speaker:
Bruce Erickson, Director of the Agronomy e-Learning Academy and Clinical Associate Professor of Digital Agriculture, Purdue University

Location: Grand Ballroom, Level 4
Crop Management CEUs: 0.5