Tentative Agenda:

7:30 am - Registration

8:00 am - Welcome - Craig Hill

8:15 am - 9:40 am - General Economic outlook
Interest rates & the market - Charlie Happel, CFO, FBFS
The Economy & Agriculture - Nathan Kaufmann, KC Federal Reserve

10:15 - 11:30 - International Markets
Meat Export Outlook - Erin Borror, USMEF Economist
Grain & Soybean Export Outlook - Sam Funk, US Soybean Board /
TPP & TTiP, Veronica Nigh Swerdlow, AFBF

11:30 - Noon - Priority issues and topics for Farm Bureau
Scott VanderWal, AFBF Vice President

Noon - 1:00 pm - Lunch  

1:00 - 1:30 p.m. - USDA Farm Programs & Conservation
John Whitaker, State FSA Director
Kurt Simon, State Conservationist

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm - Land Prices, Farm Finance
Trends and Outlook for Farm Land Prices - Steve Bruere, Peoples Company
Ag Finance Outlook - Jim Knuth, Farm Credit
Using Technology & Big Data to Improve Profits - Matt Darr, ISU

3:15 pm - 4:15 pm - Managing Margins in 2016 & Beyond
Chad Hart, Iowa State University

Using Technology & Big Data to Improve Profits
Matt Darr, Associate Professor, Iowa State University

Managing Margins in 2016 and Beyond
Chad Hart, Associate Professor of Economics, Iowa State University

4:15 pm - 5:00 pm - Politics of the U.S. & The Economy
Dan Mitchell, Cato Institute

5:15 - 7:00 pm - Commodity Conference Reception