Tuesday, April 14, 2026
| 12:00 p.m. | Conference Registration Open |
| 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. | “Cultivating AI Confidence: From Prompt to Practice” Pre-Conference |
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
| 7:15 a.m. | Conference Registration Open |
| 7:15 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet |
| 8:00 a.m. | General Session – Welcome and Keynote Address Roots, Rates and Returns: The Ag Economy in 2026 Blaine Nelson, Senior Economist on the Strategy, Research, and Analytics team at Farmer Mac |
| 9:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session A: – Arches: Approaching a Farmer in Financial Trouble: Assessing the Problem Type, Kevin Klair – Deer Valley: Integrating Expert Insights into Agricultural Risk Education, Emmanuel Okolo – Sundance-Solitude: Heat Illness Train-the-Trainer Program for Colorado Agricultural Workers, Whitney Pennington – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Coordinated Extension Education for Meat Supply Chain Risk, Libby Christensen – Alta-Brighton: Improving Ranch Economics Using an Open Cow Decision Replacement Tool, Jon Biermacher |
| 10:00 a.m. | Concurrent Session B: – Arches: Approaching a Farmer in Financial Trouble: Evaluating Alternatives with Confidence, Kevin Klair – Deer Valley: Empowering Texan Farmers Through Digital Agriculture, Yuri Calil – Sundance-Solitude: Western Regional Ag Stress Assistance Partnership, Maddy Vanderkooy – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Retail Meat Sales Considerations and Pricing, Darlene Livingston – Alta-Brighton: Livestock Risk Management – Tools and Tips for Teaching LRP, Garth Ruff |
| 10:30 a.m. | Networking Break |
| 11:00 a.m. | Concurrent Session C: – Arches: Empowering Producers to Identify and Respond to Financial Stress, Erica Barnes Fields – Deer Valley: Nebraska Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Beginning, Managing, and Transitioning, Anastasia Meyer – Sundance-Solitude: A Multifaceted Approach to Employment Risk Education, Emily Round – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Using Cooperatives as a Risk Management Strategy, Steve Richards – Alta-Brighton: Keeping Livestock Safe and Healthy During Fires: Disaster Preparedness Program, Tracy Schohr |
| 11:40 a.m. | Concurrent Session D: – Arches: Flex Leases and Crop Shares for Farm and Ranch Profitability, Jim Jansen – Deer Valley: Leveraging FSA Online Tools to Help Farmers, Pauline Van Nurden – Sundance-Solitude: Exploring H2A Farm Labor in the Mid-Atlantic Region, Nate Bruce – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Assessing OBBBA: Tax Risk Management for Farms and Ranches, Rob Holcomb – Alta-Brighton: Managing Soybean Production Risk with the Buckeye Bean Bot, Michael Estadt |
| 12:15 p.m. | Lunch / Outstanding Project Award Presentation / 25th Anniversary Recognition |
| 2:00 p.m. | Concurrent Session E: – Arches: Expanding WV Agritourism Development through Holistic Risk-Management Programming, Doolarie Singh-Knights – Deer Valley: Outstanding Project Award Winner – Southern Center – Where’s the Beef? Video Series, Tiffany Dowell Lashmet and Kara Matheney – Sundance-Solitude: Strengthening Farm and Ranch Family Finances: Financial Wellbeing Toolkit, Maria Pippidis – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Bridging Gaps in Agritourism Operators’ Support, Claudia Schmidt and Jason Entsminger – Alta-Brighton: USDA – Risk Management Agency Update, Sean Patrick |
| 2:40 p.m. | Concurrent Session F: – Arches: Improved Lives: Iowa Annie’s Project Long-Term Impact Study, Ryan Drollette – Deer Valley: Outstanding Project Award Winner – Western Center -Agritourism Intensive 2024: Managing the Risks of Agritourism for California Farm and Ranch Diversification, Rachael Callahan – Sundance-Solitude: Mental Health Resilience in the Face of Ecological Distress, Maud Powell – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Risks and Opportunities in Providing Direct to Consumer Beef, Kelsey Story – Alta-Brighton: Navigator Program: Crop Insurance Overview, Chimere Hampton |
| 3:10 p.m. | Networking Break |
| 3:40 p.m. | Concurrent Session G: – Arches: Strengthening Beginning Farmer Education Through Community College Partnerships, Ashlee Westerhold – Deer Valley: Meeting Community Needs: High-Tunnel Risk Management Strategies for Nevada Growers, Andrew Waaswa – Sundance-Solitude: Beyond the Handshake: Learn Negotiation via Online Simulations and Modules, John P. Hewlett – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Tax considerations when working with producers under financial duress, Ruby Ward – Alta-Brighton: Leveraging the FARM Champion Network to Support Farm Risk Management, Ahlishia Shipley |
| 6:00 p.m. | Poster Session and Networking Reception |
Thursday, April 16, 2026
| 7:15 a.m. | Conference Registration Open |
| 7:15 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet |
| 8:00 a.m. | General Session – Capstone Address Translating Farm & Food Tomorrow Michele Payn, Certified Speaking Professional & Author, Cause Matters Corp |
| 9:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session H: – Arches: Farm Bill Update, Nathan Hulinsky – Deer Valley: Outstanding Project Award Winner – Northeast Center – Overcoming Risk During Climate Variability: The Importance of Recordkeeping in Small Scale Farming, Jennifer Hashley – Sundance-Solitude: Faces of Direct-to-Consumer: Highlighting DTC Producers Across Alabama, Calen Monroe – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Evaluating a Decade of Agricultural Tax Education Outcomes, Rob Holcomb – Alta-Brighton: AgFTAP Cooperators: Supporting Farmers Experiencing Financial Challenges, Alicia Netterville |
| 10:00 a.m. | Concurrent Session I: – Arches: “Broiler Buddy” Helping Contract Broiler Growers Make Better Business Decisions, Dennis Brothers – Deer Valley: Outstanding Project Award Winner – North Central Center – Pasture and Livestock Risk Management Education for Missouri Small Ruminant Farmers, Homero Salinas-Gonzalez – Sundance-Solitude: Growing the Intermountain West Cut Flower Industry: Identifying Market Opportunities, Kynda Curtis – Power Mountain-Snowbird: An Exploration of Landowner Rights and Responsibilites in WV, Jodi Shelton – Alta-Brighton: Strategies for Growing Attendance at Extension Events, Susanne Hinrichs |
| 10:30 a.m. | Networking Break |
| 11:00 a.m. | Concurrent Session J: – Arches: Better Land Decisions Start with AgSite, Ryan Milhollin – Deer Valley: Advancing Farm Transition Education Through Online Programming, David Marrison – Sundance-Solitude: Strengthening Local Meat Supply Chains With Strategic Engagement, Sarah Blacklin – Power Mountain-Snowbird: Assessing Value Added for Farms and Ranches, Ruby Ward – Alta-Brighton: Strengthening Risk Management Education: Measuring Farm and Ranch Business Resilience, Melissa Gordon |
| 11:40 a.m. | General Session – Closing |
| 12:00 p.m. | Adjourn |