Program | Agricultural Bankers Conference

November 12-14, 2025

St. Louis Union Station Hotel

St. Louis, MO

2025 Program

All times in CT.

Wed, Nov. 12
Thurs, Nov. 13
Fri, Nov. 14

Wed, Nov. 12

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Conference Registration Open
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Pre-Conference Workshop
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM	Lunch (on your own) After the pre-conference workshop, take the opportunity to explore the several restaurant options at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel or in the surrounding area. Then head back to kick off the event at the Opening General Session. Check out the list of eateries inside the hotel here.
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM	Women in Ag Banking Luncheon Attendance is limited so be sure to RSVP early! Add this lunch to your registration when you sign up for the conference.
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM	Opening General Session
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM	Welcome Break in The Hub
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM	Concurrent Sessions I
4:45 PM – 5:30 PM	Concurrent Sessions II Mastering Commodity Prices: Unlocking Success with a Dynamic, All-Inclusive Strategy If markets constantly evolve and adapt to new information, why shouldn’t a risk management strategy? Discover how Ever.Ag helps livestock producers avoid market pitfalls and missed opportunities from relying on just one risk management tool. This session dives into the complexities of price risk management tools like Livestock Risk Protection, Livestock Gross Margin and brokerage, highlighting the importance of flexibility and strategic adaptability in an ever-changing market. Trey G. Freeman, Livestock Advisor, Ever.Ag Revolutionizing Ag Lending: The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI is a game-changer for ag lenders seeking efficiency, accuracy and enhanced customer experiences. We’ll explore how AI technologies are reshaping our industry, what you should consider when evaluating these technologies, and how you can leverage AI and machine learning to drive innovation and growth. We’ll also examine a case study of a lender that successfully integrated an AI solution into their due diligence process, and which best practices led to tangible results. Suzie Neff, Senior Enterprise Sales Executive Specialty Sales, Wolters Kluwer Lien Solutions
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Opening Reception in the Hub Enjoy light bites and drinks as you mingle with peers and industry providers.

Thurs, Nov. 13

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Conference Registration Open
7:30 AM – 8:15 AM	Power Breakfasts
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM	General Session Agricultural Economics in an Uncertain Landscape This session will deepen your understanding of the forces influencing your clients and communities and strengthen your role as a trusted financial partner in agriculture. We’ll examine key economic indicators — including land values, commodity markets, interest rates and farm income — and their implications for credit markets, risk management, strategic planning and how you can navigate opportunities. Jason Henderson, Ph.D., Vice President, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM	Networking Break in The Hub
11:00 AM – 11:40 AM	Commodity Outlooks Cattle Grain Proteins, Poultry, Pork
11:50 AM – 12:30 PM	Commodity Outlooks Cattle Grain Proteins, Poultry, Pork
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM	Lunch and General Session ABA/Farmer Mac Ag Lender Survey Results Our panel of experts will showcase and analyze the results from the 2025 ABA-Farmer Mac Agricultural Bankers Survey. Gain insights on the state of agricultural banking from a survey of ag lenders across the country. Ryan Lee, Research Manager, American Bankers Association Jackson Takach, Chief Economist, Vice President – Strategy, Research and Analytics, Farmer Mac
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM	Dessert & Coffee Break in The Hub
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM	Concurrent Sessions III
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM	Concurrent Sessions IV Latest Developments in Distressed Agricultural Lending Learning from your mistakes is valuable, but so is learning from the mistakes of others. This session will cover the top agricultural lending disputes from the past year. Gain insights into common pitfalls, practical solutions to resolve disputes and best practices for managing risk in agricultural loans. You’ll leave with actionable strategies to enhance your lending practices and more effectively mitigate risks. Michael Fielding, Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP Thomas Donaldson, Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP How to Use the Farm Financial Standards Council’s Recommended Financial Ratios Hear the key financial ratios as recommended by the Farm Financial Standards Council, the predominant ratios used by ag lenders, issues with computation, variation across type and size of farms, and other stats. Todd Doehring, Director, Centrec Consulting Group Pauline Van Nurden, Associate Director, Extension Economist, UM Center for Farm Financial Management
4:30 PM – 5:45 PM	General Session & Networking Event
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM	Reception in the Grand Hall Sponsored by Farmer Mac Share your grand ideas with peers over light bites and drinks in The Grand Hall, a St. Louis landmark featuring a sweeping archway, 65-foot ceiling, fresco and art glass windows.

Fri, Nov. 14

7:00 AM – 11:00 AM	Conference Registration Open
7:00 AM – 7:45 AM	Power Breakfasts
8:00 AM – 10:15 AM	General Session High Impact Meteorology We plan our operations based on weather averages and our experiences over recent growing seasons, but each year presents a new set of weather challenges. In this session, learn how to use the abundance of weather data to stay ahead of disruptive weather events. We’ll explore the resources available to monitor changes in longer-range forecasts. We’ll also discuss your state’s risk for severe storms and the next growing season in South America, which competes directly with our crops. Eric Snodgrass, Principal Atmospheric Scientist, Conduit Ag
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM	Coffee Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM	Closing General Session

This program is subject to change. Please bookmark this page to check for continuing updates. Read ABA Conference and School Policies to help answer additional questions.

Program | Agricultural Bankers Conference

2025 Program

Wed, Nov. 12

Thurs, Nov. 13

Fri, Nov. 14

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