As a fact-based, data-driven, customer-focused organization, USDA is increasingly leveraging its vast administrative and programmatic data. This session will feature a variety of ways USDA is using data visualizations to effectively communicate key findings, making data more accessible and transparent to a wide range of users.

Moderator: Mr. Lance Honig, Director, Methodology Division, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Food Environment Atlas
This presentation will highlight the Food Environment Atlas, a web-based mapping tool developed by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). The tool allows users to compare U.S. counties based on indicators that reflect a community’s access to affordable, healthy food.
Speaker: Ms. Alana Rhone, Agricultural Economist, USDA Economic Research Service. 

Rural Data Gateway
This presentation will introduce the Rural Data Gateway, launched in 2023, which provides comprehensive access to USDA Rural Development’s administrative data, advancing transparency and public trust.
Speaker: Dr. Jim Barham, Acting Chief Innovation Officer / Assistant Chief Data Officer, USDA Rural Development. 

USDA NASS Ag Insights Application: The Next Generation of Data Dissemination
This presentation will discuss the modernization of agricultural statistics dissemination through the USDA NASS Ag Insights Application.
Speaker: Mr. Andrew Dau, Branch Chief, Sampling, Editing, and Imputation, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

Visualizing Agricultural Data by the FAS
This presentation will showcase how USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) uses data visualizations to monitor global crop conditions and contribute to WASDE estimates. Examples include geospatial web applications such as Crop Explorer, which translates satellite imagery into actionable crop condition data.
Speaker: Ms. Lisa Colson, GIS and Imagery Specialist, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. 
 

In this session presenters will examine the short-run outlook for U.S. farm sector income and agricultural credit conditions. They will also discuss the characteristics of small farms in the U.S. and the challenges they face.

Moderator: Joy Harwood, Director, Economic and Policy Analysis Division, USDA FPAC, Washington, DC​​​​​​​

USDA Farm Income Forecast
This presentation will describe the latest USDA farm sector income and wealth forecasts through 2026.
Speaker: Dr. Carrie Litowski, Senior Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA. Washington, DC

Agricultural Credit Conditions
This presentation will explore recent trends and issues affecting agricultural lending and credit conditions including interest rates and farm real estate values.
Speaker: Dr. Nathan Kauffman, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Omaha, Nebraska

Small Farms in the U.S.
This presentation will discuss the characteristics of small farms in the U.S. including trends in their financial position based on information from ERS reports, datasets, and Census of Agriculture data. It will also discuss how small farms are defined in USDA’s statistical data.
Speaker: Dr. Katherine Lacy, Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA. Reno, NV

Biofuel markets have major impacts on pricing, consumption, and trade of agricultural feedstocks. This moderated discussion session will dive into U.S. biofuel policy and market dynamics, the role of global trade and markets, and the onset of sustainable aviation and maritime fuels, and how each of these factors will impact global biofuel and feedstock consumption and trade.

Moderator: Stephen Vaden, USDA Deputy Secretary

Speakers: 
Emily Skor, CEO, Growth Energy, Washington, DC. 
Devin Mogler, President and CEO, National Oilseed Processors Association, Washington, DC.
Ryan LeGrand, President and CEO, U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, Washington, DC.

The New World Screwworm (NWS) has been a focus of control and containment for the United States for well over 50 years, with stunning success over that period due to innovations that have saved U.S. Ranchers from this devastating pest.  This panel will briefly outline the history of USDA Science in the past, but will also explore a wide range of recent advances in NWS pest management research - including predictive modeling for precision intervention, development of sex-specific lures (attractants) and traps for surveillance and control, and optimization of mass-produced NWS to expand the core sterile insect technique. These innovations, and others, are part of the next generation of tactics and tools employed by APHIS to continue our commitment to defend U.S. Agriculture from this devasting pest.

Moderator: Lauren Stump, Deputy Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics

Speaker: Kim Lohmeyer, Director for the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory    

Speaker: Lee Cohnstaedt, Research Epidemiologist with the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

Speaker: Paul Hickner, Research Ecologist with the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory

Speaker: Alex Arp, Research Geneticist with the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory

Listen to policy experts discuss how federal nutrition policy can improve public health, promote healthy families and communities, and support American agriculture. The discussion will also examine the Make America Healthy Again mission, and where its core goals can find alignment with programs like SNAP and school meals, as well as the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Speakers:

• Jennifer Tiller, Chief of Staff - Office of the Deputy Secretary, Senior Advisor - Office of the Secretary, Washington, DC
• Eve Stoody, Chief Policy Officer, Food and Nutrition Service, Alexandria, VA

American agriculture faces unprecedented challenges, including supply chain instability, labor shortages, resource constraints, and the urgent need to produce more food with fewer inputs. This session examines how artificial intelligence is moving from theory to practical application in agriculture and how its use can help address these critical challenges.

Moderator: Jaye Hamby, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA

Speaker: Vikram Adve,  Director, AIFARMS National AI Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. IL    

Speaker: William Aderholdt,  Co-Founder and the Executive Director of Grand Farm ,   Wheatland, ND.

Speaker: Jonathan McFadden, Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA.

In this session, presenters will discuss new approaches USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is using to promote American agricultural products globally. Topics include a new agricultural trade promotion program, rapid response trade missions, and expanded USA branding at international trade shows.

Moderator:  Michelle  Bekkering, Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, USDA, Washington, DC

New Agricultural Trade Promotion Program
This presentation will describe a new agricultural trade promotion program established in the Big Beautiful Bill, which provides $285 million in permanent mandatory funding annually starting in FY 2027. This program will significantly enhance USDA’s ability to support international market development.
Speaker: Mark Slupek, Deputy Administrator, FAS Global Programs. Washington, D.C.

Rapid Response Trade Missions
This presentation will explain how Rapid Response Trade Missions will connect U.S. exporters with foreign buyers immediately after new trade agreements are finalized, ensuring U.S. companies capitalize on strategic deals and that trading partners uphold their commitments without imposing unexpected barriers.
Speaker: Ryan Brewster, Senior Director, FAS Global Programs, Trade Missions and Shows Division. Washington, D.C.

USDA's USA Branding at Endorsed International Trade Shows
This presentation will discuss USDA’s widely recognized USA branding at endorsed international trade shows, which attracts buyer traffic and promotes U.S. agricultural and food products. FAS plans to restructure the trade show program to include two tiers of endorsement: the current fully “USDA-endorsed” designation and a new “USDA-branded” designation.
Speaker: Curt Alt, Senior Director, FAS Global Programs, Program Operations Division. Washington, D.C.

USDA officials from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) will lead a discussion on NASS data and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. Topics will include the process for compiling and releasing market-sensitive data, key information sources, timing of revisions, and the role these reports play in supporting fair markets.

The session will feature presentations by NASS and WAOB officials, followed by an open Q&A.

Moderator: Justin Benavidez, USDA Chief Economist

Speakers:

• Lance Honig, Chair, NASS Agricultural Statistics Board
• Mark Jekanowski, Chair, World Agricultural Outlook Board

In this session, presenters will explore emerging tools and strategies to strengthen detection, vaccination, and rapid response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry systems. The discussion will highlight innovative vaccine platforms, next-generation diagnostics, and the broader coordination framework under the HPAI Grand Challenge to accelerate preparedness and mitigate disease impacts.

The Grand Challenge: This presentation will provide a concise overview of the HPAI Grand Challenge—its objectives, structure, and how multi-sector partnerships are advancing rapid detection, vaccine innovation, and response readiness.
Speaker: Chelsey Shivley, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. 

Insects for Antigen Production and Delivery: A Novel Oral Vaccination Platform for HPAI: This presentation will describe a novel insect-based approach for antigen production and oral delivery to birds, aiming to simplify deployment, reduce cold chain constraints, and enhance flock-level immunity in diverse production settings.
Speaker: Laura Miller, Associate Professor of Computer Science; Associate Professor, Veterinary Virology, Immunology & Genetics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.

Sapphire Molecular Diagnostic Platform for Rapid HPAI Detection: This presentation will showcase the Sapphire molecular diagnostic platform designed for rapid, accurate HPAI detection at or near the point of need—supporting earlier interventions, improved surveillance, and streamlined decision-making.
Speaker: Scott Sundberg, Senior Director, Canon Virginia Inc. 

Novel Reagent-less Radio Frequency and AI-based Diagnostic Device for Rapid Detection of HPAI in Poultry: This presentation will introduce a reagent-less diagnostic device leveraging radio frequency sensing and AI to deliver fast, field-deployable HPAI detection, minimizing consumables and enabling scalable screening.
Speaker: Sergio Ribeiro, Radiolife. 

Food prices are of ongoing interest to USDA stakeholders. Accurate information on price trends and the farm share of food prices better informs policy, industry, and the public and aligns with the USDA strategic goal to provide all Americans access to a safe, nutritious and secure food supply. Recently released data and visualizations, as well as the projections from the January 2026 Food Price Outlook, will also be discussed.

Moderator: Abigail Okrent, Senior Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA

Food Price Outlook - Recent and Future Trends in Food Price Inflation
The Food Price Outlook provides timely, relevant, and detailed analysis of current and forecasted trends in retail and wholesale food markets. It is the only source of Federal retail food price inflation projections. This presentation will cover the recent history of retail food price inflation, including price changes in the aftermath of the pandemic and related supply chain complications, international conflicts, and the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, and more recent moderation in price growth following these events. Recently released data and visualizations, as well as the concurrently released projections from the February 2026 Food Price Outlook, will also be discussed.  
Speaker: Hayden Stewart, Research Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA

Recent Trends in the Farm Share of Retail Food Prices
Over the past several years, both retail and farm-level beef prices have risen, driven by tight supplies and sustained consumer demand. During this period, the farm share of beef prices has increased significantly, climbing from about 37 percent in 2021 to more than 50 percent today. This presentation will highlight two ERS data products—Price Spreads from Farm to Consumer and Meat Price Spreads—which together report the farm share of retail food prices for selected meat, dairy, fresh produce, and other foods. The presentation will review recent data for key products and explore trends in beef prices. 
Speaker: Jennifer Bond, Deputy Director for Outlook and Staff Analysis, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC

Food Industry Perspective on Recent Food Price Changes
This presentation will discuss how food price changes affect food retailers and restaurants. The presenter will discuss the impact on profitability and how firms adjust both products and product prices.
Speaker: Andrew Harig, Vice President, Tax, Trade, Sustainability & Policy Development, The Food Industry Association, Arlington, VA.

In this session, leading experts from academia, industry, and government will share insights on current applications and future directions. The presenters will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming seed development by integrating with advanced genetic engineering techniques. They will discuss how AI is being used to identify genetic sequences for improved traits, reduce unintended outcomes, and accelerate innovation.

Moderator: Dr. Scott Hutchins, Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. Washington, DC.

Overview of AI in Seed Development
This presentation will provide context and an outlook on how AI is being incorporated into plant breeding and seed development.
Speaker: Dr. Carlos (Charlie) Messina, Professor, University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida.

The Use of AI in Seed Development – A Seed Development Firm's Perspective
This presentation will examine how Pairwise, a leading seed development company, plans to integrate AI into its processes to enhance innovation and efficiency.
Speaker: Dr. Aaron Hummel, Senior Vice President of Research and Development, Pairwise. Raleigh, North Carolina.

How Genebanks Enable AI-Driven Seed Innovation
This presentation explores how modern data systems, characterization and AI transform conserved genetic diversity into accelerated breeding while reducing risk and screening burden.
Speaker: Dr. Neha Kothari, National Program Leader, USDA Agricultural Research Service. Beltsville, Maryland.

The AgriCULTURAL Outlook:  How Cultural Trends Aggies Dare Not Discuss are Forging the Future of Farming and Food

Speaker: Ray Starling,  NC Chamber General Counsel and President of the NC Chamber Legal Institute

In this session, presenters will examine the U.S. and global cotton outlook, including production, trade, and demand trends. Topics will include yield modeling, weather correlations, and estimates of China’s mill use of cotton.

Moderator: Leslie Meyer,  Economist, USDA Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.

U.S. and World Outlook for Cotton
This presentation will provide an overview of the current U.S. and global cotton outlook, including production, consumption, and trade projections.
Speaker: Stephanie Galbraith, Economist, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, Washington, DC.

Assessing Cotton Potential with Yield Models and Weather Correlations
This presentation will explore how yield models and weather patterns are used to assess cotton production potential and inform market outlooks.
Speaker: Eric Luebehusen, Meteorologist, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA, Washington, DC.

Estimating China’s Mill Use of Cotton
This presentation will discuss methods and data used to estimate China’s mill use of cotton and its implications for global cotton markets.
Speaker: Graham Soley, Economist, Shearwater Commodity Research, Alexandria, Virginia.

In this session, presenters will provide a comprehensive overview of U.S. farmland and its operators, highlighting recent trends, challenges, and opportunities. Topics will include structural changes in farmland and farm numbers, rising land values and regional variations, and credit and liquidity conditions in the context of record-high farmland prices.

Moderator: Dr. Scott Hutchins, Under Secretary, USDA Research, Education, and Economics, Washington, DC.

America’s Farmland and Its Operators
This presentation will offer a high-level overview of ERS research and data products related to land. It will present key findings on structural changes in U.S. farmland and farms, as well as economic and production shifts, and highlight where the most significant losses of farms and farmland have occurred.
Speaker: Dr. Anil K. Giri, Research Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA, Kansas City, MO.

Rising Farmland Values: What Does It Mean for American Farmers?
This presentation will examine trends in farmland prices, including how they have changed over time, regional and state-level differences, variations among types of cropland (e.g., dryland vs. irrigated), and perspectives from producers.
Speaker: Daniel Munch, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation, Washington, DC.

Credit and Liquidity in Light of Record-High Farmland Prices: Implications for Current and Future Landowners
This presentation will provide insights on credit conditions related to farm real estate, liquidity considerations for farmers and lenders, and the implications of Federal Reserve policies on credit availability and farmland markets.
Speaker: Jackson Takach, CFA, Chief Economist & VP – Strategy, Research, and Analytics, FarmerMac, Washington, DC.
 

In this session, presenters will provide an outlook for major U.S. grains, including supply, demand, and price trends. Topics will include policy and economic analysis, market conditions, and weather impacts on production.

Moderator: Steven Ramsey, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC.

Grains Market Outlook and Policy Analysis
This presentation will examine current market conditions for major grains and provide insights into policy developments and their implications for producers and markets.
Speaker: John Newton, Vice President, Public Policy & Economic Analysis, American Farm Bureau Federation, Washington, DC.

Economic Trends and Market Drivers for Grains
This presentation will discuss economic factors influencing grain markets, including supply and demand dynamics, trade, and price trends.
Speaker: Bryn Swearingen, Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC.

Weather Impacts on Grain Production and Outlook
This presentation will explore how weather patterns and forecasts affect grain production and market outlooks.
Speaker: Brad Rippey, Meteorologist, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA, Washington, DC.

In this session, presenters will discuss how physical changes in food production—such as upgrades, expansions, or modifications—can impact food safety, animal health, and biosecurity. The session will highlight USDA action plans and priorities for biosecurity and food safety in light of recent challenges, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks. Experts from across the food production chain will share best practices for mitigating risks when implementing physical changes.

Moderator: Dr. Mindy Brashears, Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA Office of Food Safety, Washington, DC.

From Floor Cracks to Consumer Risk: Understanding the Ripple Effects of Plant Modifications
This presentation will explore how everything from maintenance to expansion can affect food safety and quality in production environments and ultimately impact consumers.
Speaker: Ms. Briana Lorenzo, Food Safety Manager, Harris Teeter, North Carolina.

On-Farm Systems and Physical Environmental Factors That Contribute to the Spread of Animal Disease
This presentation will examine how on-farm systems and environmental factors influence the spread of animal diseases and what measures can reduce these risks.
Speaker: Dr. Gustavo Machado, Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, North Carolina.

USDA Biosecurity Assessments and Other Tools to Ensure Animal Safety
This presentation will discuss USDA’s biosecurity assessments and tools designed to maintain animal health and prevent disease outbreaks during physical changes in production systems.
Speaker: Mr. Keith Wehner, Regional Director of Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA, Georgia.

Speaker: Dr. William Shaw, Executive Associate for Laboratory Services, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA  

In July 2025, USDA released its first ever National Farm Security Action Plan. The plan outlined key actions that USDA can take with its interagency partners to protect and defend U.S. agriculture, which is foundational to our national security. This session explores the interagency landscape of farm security and national security, and perspectives from USDA, Department of War, and Department of Treasury on how we can protect and defend U.S. agriculture against our state and transnational adversaries.

Moderator: Matt Allen, Director, Office of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Speakers:

• Joe Pauloski, Committee for Foreign Investment Staff Chair and Director, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• Tom Argall, Director, Foreign Investment Review, Office of Global Investment and Economic Security, U.S. Department of War
• Dr. Kate Sixt, Executive Director, Office of the Chief Scientist, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Isaac Dietrich, Program Manager, Office of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture

In this session, presenters will provide an outlook for U.S. livestock, poultry, and dairy markets, focusing on supply, demand, and price trends. Topics will include USDA’s latest market projections, demand resilience for protein products, and evolving consumer preferences in dairy markets.

Moderator: Adriana Valcu-Lisman, Agricultural Economist, Economic Research Service, USDA, Kansas City, MO.

USDA Market Outlook for Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Markets
Speaker: Anthony Fischer, Agricultural Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA, Washington, DC.

The New Protein Equation: Demand Resilience in a Tight Market
Speaker: Amy Smith, Vice President, Advanced Economic Solutions, Arvada, CO.

The New Demand Landscape for Dairy: Demographic Shifts, Health Trends, and Component Implications
Speaker: Ben Laine, Senior Dairy Analyst, Terrain Ag, Denver, CO.

Secretary Rollins and the Trump Administration are committed to ensuring rural prosperity through the revitalization of rural communities. Rural Development (RD) is the largest economic development institution in the U.S. with a singular mission to support rural prosperity. With over 80 grant, loan, and technical assistance programs supporting a range of activities including housing, utilities, essential community facilities, and small businesses, RD touches every facet of rural life. While RD’s reach and support to rural and tribal communities is without question, there are still questions on what is the ultimate impact of our programs on the livelihoods of rural Americans. This session will explore three different approaches and examples of how RD is trying to answer this through our collaborative evaluation research efforts.

Moderator: Jim Barham, Chief Innovation Officer (Acting), USDA Rural Development Innovation Center, USDA, Washington, DC.

Rural Development Investment in Evaluation
First Approach: Investment in Rural Development staff to take on evaluation efforts.
Example: Our current work to uncover the collective impact of RD programs by assessing how RD investments result in community improvements in living conditions, amenities, and services, which in turn can affect the community’s level of socioeconomic well-being, as measured by the Distressed Communities Index.
Speaker: Kasey Martin, RD IC Data Analytics Division Evaluation Officer, USDA Rural Development Innovation Center (RD IC), Richmond, VA

Collaboration with Rural Development Sister USDA Agencies and Federal Partners
Second Approach: Collaboration with Rural Development sister USDA agencies and federal partners.
Example: Current research partnership with Economic Research Service (ERS) to evaluate the impacts of RD Broadband programs on economic (e.g., property values, household income, employment) and social (e.g., population growth, healthcare access and availability, and telemedicine) outcomes.
Speaker: Robert Dinterman, Economist, USDA Rural Development Innovation Center (RD IC), Washington, DC

Partnering with External Research Institutions and ERS
Third Approach: Partnering with external research institutions and ERS. Example: Collaboration with Pennsylvania State University, to investigate the extent to which Rd programs have impacted county-level individual poverty rates in nonmetro (rural) counties from 2004 to 2022.
Speaker: Stephan Goetz, Professor, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development; Penn State Social Science Research Institute, University Park, PA

In this session, presenters will examine key issues shaping the U.S. sugar market, including demand trends, specialty and organic sugar supply, and trade relations with Mexico. Industry leaders will share insights on challenges and opportunities for maintaining competitiveness and meeting evolving consumer and policy demands.

Moderator: Dylan Daniels, Senior Policy Officer, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, Washington, DC.

Meeting the Challenges in the Demand for U.S. Sugar
This presentation will explore current trends in U.S. sugar demand and strategies to address emerging challenges.
Speaker: Dr. Courtney Gaine, President/CEO, Sugar Association, Washington, DC.

Organic Sugar
This presentation will review supply and demand dynamics for specialty and organic sugar in the U.S., including challenges posed by recent USDA policy changes.
Speaker: Andrew Martino, Commodity Manager – Sugar, North America, Global Organics, Ltd., Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Current State of Sugar in Mexico
This presentation will provide an overview of Mexico’s sugar industry, its role in trade with the U.S., and efforts to promote competitiveness and development within the sector.
Speaker: Claudia Fernandez, Executive President, National Chamber of the Sugar and Alcohol Industries (CNIAA), Mexico City, Mexico.

Disasters such as wildfire and hurricanes, as well as day-to-day urban tree management generate high volumes of wood that are variable in condition and value but typically underutilized as a resource. Downed and damaged trees represent a risk when they affect transportation, communications, and energy infrastructure; they serve as an ecological resource when they stabilize soils, provide habitat, and promote nutrient cycling; and they represent an economic resource to communities and businesses when converted to wood products. Better utilization of salvage timber can support innovation in wood products and reduce reliance on wood imports. There are opportunities for scaling up use for biochar, mulch, firewood, dimensional lumber, slabs, and specialty products. This session explores the challenges and opportunities associated with salvaging timber in post-disaster scenarios and the need for market development for non-traditional products with perspectives from government and industry leaders who successfully salvage post-fire, post-hurricane, and urban timber.

Moderator: William Gould, Research Ecologist, USDA Forest Service Research and Development, San Juan, Puerto Rico 

Post-Hurricane Timber Salvage
Bringing science to assess how downed-wood properties change over time and affect salvage value.
Speaker: Laya Khademibami, Assistant Research Professor, Mississippi State University Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, Starkville, MS 

Post-Fire Timber Salvage
Addressing challenges and creating opportunities for post-fire salvage on National Forest System lands.
Speaker: Stephanie Miller, Assistant Director, USDA Forest Service National Forest System Reforestation, Silviculture, Genetics, Seeds, Nursery's, and Partnerships Program, Fort Collins, CO 

Salvage Wood at Scale: Fires, Storms, and City Trees – The Hidden Economy of Salvage Wood
Creating opportunities and added value from urban salvage wood.
Speaker: Daniel Torres, CEO, Deadwood Revival Design, Paso Robles, CA 

This session will examine the role of the U.S. cotton industry in the global cotton market and explore future directions for competitiveness and growth.

Moderator: Kent Lanclos, Fiber Analyst, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA, Washington, DC.

The United States Cotton Industry in the International Cotton Market: Where Does It Go From Here?
This presentation will provide insights into the current position of the U.S. cotton industry in global markets and discuss strategies for maintaining and expanding market share.
Speaker: Abigail Hoelscher, Analyst, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, Lubbock, Texas.

This session will discuss the importance of trusted agricultural journalism.

Moderator: Joanna Hitchner, Agricultural Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA, Washington, DC.

Speaker: Don Wick, President, Red River Farm Network.

Moderator: Hannah Brooks, Agricultural Economist, USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), Kansas City, MO.

The Impact of Beef-on-Dairy on the U.S. Beef Supply Chain
This presentation will analyze the economic and operational implications of beef-on-dairy practices for producers and the broader beef industry.
Speaker: Dr. Charley Martinez, Assistant Professor and Director, University of Tennessee Center of Farm Management, Knoxville, TN.

This session will spotlight how California’s Salinas Valley is emerging as a hub for agricultural innovation, leveraging ag tech incubators, venture capital, and strategic partnerships to address challenges facing specialty crop growers.

Moderator: Walt Duflock, Senior Vice President – Innovation, Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, Salinas, CA

Ag Tech Startups and Investment Trends
This presentation will feature insights from leaders in ag tech on the challenges and opportunities for startups and what venture capitalists look for when investing in agricultural technology.
Speakers: 

• Danny Bernstein, CEO, Reservoir Farms, Salinas, CA. 
• Ben Pallone, Senior Commercialization Director, Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, Salinas, CA.

This session will provide an overview of the U.S. refined sugar market, including supply, demand, pricing trends, and key factors shaping the outlook.

Moderator: Barbara Fecso, Commodity Analysis Branch Chief, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, USDA, Washington, DC.

Speaker: Steven Hanson, Chief Officer, Sugar Buyer Inc., Shorewood, Minnesota.