Latest in Ag Innovation to be Featured at Feb. 13 Forum
The latest ideas in cutting-edge technology for agribusiness will be featured at a Feb. 13 Forum in Kansas City. The forum, hosted by the Ag Business Council of Kansas City, will showcase and celebrate ag technology in the Midwest according to Council Chair Dustin Johansen who is senior vice president at Farm Journal.
Johansen said the three keynote speakers are truly rock stars when it comes to the confluence of agriculture, innovation, and technology. Delivering keynote remarks will be:
• Dr. James Lowenberg-DeBoer, who Johansen said literally wrote the book for precision agriculture. He will share his thoughts on the economics of autonomy and robotics. He is a Professor and Elizabeth Creek Chair of Agri-Tech Economics at Harper Adams University in the United Kingdom.
• Microsoft’s Ranveer Chandra is one of the nation’s most prominent thought leaders when it comes to developing different technologies to bring internet connectivity to the middle of farms. Chandra is managing director of research for industry and CTO of Agri-Food at Microsoft.
• Aidan Connolly is president of AgriTech Capital and an unusual leader. He will bring his direct experience with greenfield start-ups, high-growth environments, turnaround issues, and challenging economic environments in a wide range of political and economic systems.
Rounding out the program will be panel discussions on three key topics – plant health, artificial intelligence, and livestock technology adoption. These leading industry experts will be part of the panels:
• Soil Health – Implications for Land Value, Farm Economics & Food Quality
Panelists:
o Nick Guetterman, Guetterman Brothers Family Farms, Bucyrus, KS
o Jason Tatge, CEO, PrairieFood
o Dan Poston, Vice President, Research and Field Services, PivotBio
• Artificial Intelligence
Panelists:
o Dr. Pascal Hitzler, Lloyd T. Smith Creativity in Engineering Chair and Director, Center for AI and
Data Science, Kansas State University
o Nic McCarthy, Senior Vice President Agronomy, Central Valley Ag Coop
o Matt Olson, Precision Ag Go-to-Market Manager, John Deere
• Livestock Technology Adoption, moderated by Dustin Johansen, Senior Vice President, Livestock Division, Farm Journal
Panelists:
o Dr. Tyler Spore, Director of R&D and Data, Innovative Livestock Solutions, Inc.
o Coby Buck, Director of Strategic Accounts, AgriWebb
o Paul Koffman, Executive Director, Livestock Technology Solutions, Merck Animal Health
Emcee for the forum will be Kristie Larson, Strategic Relationship Manager, The DeBruce Foundation.
The Ag Innovation Forum will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on February 13 at the Downtown Marriott, 200 West 12th Street, Kansas City, MO.
