By Erin Robinson, Marketing Manager for Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business
Ag retailers continue to operate in an environment defined by transformation and uncertainty. While industry consolidation has long shaped the landscape, new pressures and emerging technologies are redefining what it takes to stay competitive.
Growers also face high input costs and labor challenges, creating both pressure and opportunity for ag retailers to lead with agility and foresight.
The ability to adapt, innovate and create lasting value for growers has never been more important. That’s why ag retail managers, agronomists and sales professionals will convene at Arizona State University’s (ASU) Tempe campus for the ARA Management Academy, Jan. 20-22, 2026.
Jointly offered by Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business, the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, this three-day workshop will give participants the tools to navigate today’s volatility and position their organizations for future growth.
Leading Through Disruption
The agricultural marketplace continues to face disruption, requiring ag retailers to redefine value creation. Once centered on cost and efficiency, supply chains today are now focusing on innovation, differentiation and customer experience. Technology and artificial intelligence are accelerating this shift, and suppliers must rethink their relationships with farmer customers and their long-term strategy.
To help participants make sense of these dynamics, Allan Gray, professor and executive director of Purdue’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business, will lead a session exploring the major forces driving market change and their implications for agribusiness strategy. Gray will also offer practical steps to ensure participants are able to develop actionable strategies to position their organizations to embrace and respond to these trends.
Seeing Business Through Customers’ Eyes
Delivering exceptional service begins with understanding how customers experience it. While recognizing customer expectations is not a new concept, technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviors make it an unavoidable challenge. That’s where service blueprinting is a valuable tool, allowing ag retailers to visualize the customer journey and uncover opportunities to streamline and elevate service delivery.
Doug Olsen, associate professor at ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, will lead participants through this process and offer tools to design services that strengthen satisfaction and loyalty.
Building Community, Connection and Capability
The ARA Management Academy offers unmatched networking opportunities with peers from every segment of the ag retail sector — from crop inputs to specialty products. These shared perspectives foster creative problem-solving and a deeper understanding of today’s challenges and opportunities.
Along with Gray and Olsen, participants will learn from experts such as Joan Brett, emeritus professor of management and entrepreneurship at ASU; Scott Downey, professor of agricultural economics and director of the Purdue Center for Food and Agricultural Business; and Mark Manfredo, Dean’s Council Distinguished Professor and professor at the Morrison School of Agribusiness at ASU.
The academy will cover topics such as profitability, creating customer value and leadership strategies for long-term success, ensuring participants return to their organizations ready to lead with clarity, confidence and purpose.
Learn more and register at agribusiness.purdue.edu/ara.
