Top Producer Summit
Top Producer Summit helps elevate the leading farm business CEOs with education, networking and awards recognition. This year’s Top Producer Summit takes place in Nashville, TN, February 9 - 11, 2026.
Sessions from the first day of Top Producer Summit can be watched on-demand on Farm Journal TV.
When market pressures mount, “toughing it out” can feel like the only option—but it might be your biggest risk.
When the daily demands of an operation become overwhelming, long-term strategy is often the first thing to go. But what if hard times are actually the best time to grow?
Beyond China’s political goodwill purchases and Brazil’s soybean showdown, the U.S. is eyeing a 30% surge in domestic processing. To stay resilient, farmers are advised to focus on profit margins rather than volume.
From La Niña to El Niño, what does the shifting Pacific mean for your 2026 yields? Atmospheric scientist Matt Reardon leans toward optimism while keeping his eyes on these factors.
The January Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows high input costs, weak prices, policy uncertainty and eroding trust in data have pushed many producers from planning for profitability to fighting for survival.
As fertilizer prices emerge as a top threat to profitability, analysts highlight structural supply issues and global trade shifts that leave little room for price relief despite growing domestic frustration.
While some producers managed to stay profitable in 2025, most struggled under tight margins, making them the exception rather than the rule, according to ag lender Alan Hoskins.
In addition to higher farm payments and better crop insurance, Paul Neiffer says the most overlooked impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill could be how farmers structure their operations.
New Farm Journal research explores six keys highlighting consolidation risk, regional divides and expansion sweet spots in a shifting landscape that prioritizes integrity and a tech mindset.
From incentives for conservation easements to a push for sustainable industrial growth, Gov. Bill Lee shares his strategy to protect the future of agriculture in Tennessee.
While inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, the outgoing president and CEO favors a pause on interest-rate reductions while noting AI’s potential to shift labor needs
In partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the goal of McDonald’s largest-ever investment in regenerative agriculture is to help cattle producers accelerate regenerative grazing practices.
Steady investment in ‘green’ biofuels has promised new market demand for farmers and ethanol producers, but will that continue in 2025?
The look at corn and soybean acreage under current conditions will be among the key focal points during the event, but it will also be key to see how USDA paints an export outlook with so much uncertainty surrounding tariffs and trade.
Time is running out for USDA to issue economic relief payments to farmers in the 90-day window set by Congress. According to some sources, producers are banking on the payments, even making business decisions based on projected payment calculations.
Chase Larson is the CEO of Bestifor Farms, which is just one of six companies under the Bestifor family of brands. Based in Belleville, Kansas, the company employees 40 people, 30 of which are full time.
About 45% of U.S. corn production acres and 36% of the soybean ground are dry. The western Corn Belt needs moisture, in particular. A big, wet snowstorm could help, says Eric Snodgrass.
During an exclusive interview with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at Top Producer Summit, Farm Journal asked if the Department of Government Efficiency will target farm programs.
On the cusp of the 1980s farm crisis, Mark Hanna’s rookie years of farming were tough. Through relentless effort to pay down debt while investing in improvements to his operation, Hanna’s career has been one of perseverance and success, making him a 2025 Top Producer of the Year finalist.
Since being confirmed on Feb. 13, Secretary Rollins has been in the Washington D.C., USDA office for a few hours. Most of her time has been spent visiting farmers, ranchers and ag businesses in Kentucky, Kansas and at Top Producer Summit.
Three key provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire in December. Planning now can help farmers prepare financially if the provisions aren’t extended, says CPA Paul Neiffer.
His senior year of high school, Dalton Dilldine’s dad unexpectedly passed away, leaving a limited succession plan and a teenager with a big decision: take over the operation, start his own farm or go to college. He chose all three.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins kicked off the 2025 Top Producer Summit on Tuesday morning, detailing her plan to advocate for trade. ‘We want to find market access for all our products,’ Rollins said.
Among the secretary’s first public appearances since being confirmed last week, the fireside chat on Tuesday, Feb. 18, will cover key topics driving the future of agriculture.
Trump recently signed three executive orders imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. This marks the first time a president has used powers granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.
The Panama Canal is in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs — and he’s pledged to retake control of the strategic waterway due to Chinese influence. He also claims U.S. ships have been unfairly charged for using the canal.
“This year’s cohort represents the best in labor-saving robots, rapid diagnostics, new traits and sustainable biologics selected to help farmers now and build a bridge to a more resilient farming system,” said Pete Nelson, President of AgLaunch.
Trump taps Howard Lutnick for Commerce Secretary, signaling tariff-heavy trade strategy. Lutnick has called the tariffs a negotiating tool that could be used to convince other countries to bring down their own levies or to force companies to move production to the U.S.