Annual Conference Delivers on Strong Program; 2024 Board Announced

Conference Coverage

Annual Conference Delivers on Strong Program; 2024 Board Announced

By Paul Schrimpf, Director of Marketing and Communications

AgGateway attracted more than 160 members and digital connectivity stakeholders to its Annual Conference in Nashville last month, featuring a high-value mix of working sessions, expert presentations, and networking opportunities designed to help move the organization forward on digital connectivity initiatives.

“Our organization prides itself on the ability to make significant strides through virtual meetings throughout the year, but the value of gathering in-person as we close out a successful year is substantial,” says Brent Kemp. “In addition to being able to interact one on one, it gives us the opportunity to share digital connectivity progress across the entire organization, enable new members to accelerate their AgGateway experience through an extensive orientation program, and provide a broader perspective on the impact and importance of our work through presentations by outside experts.”

Two multi-part training opportunities made available this year were well supported. Member Services presented a graduated three-part AGIIS Training Program, and long-time AgGateway leader Marilyn Hunter returned to offer three sessions focused on different aspects of leading and facilitating effective meetings.

General sessions featured keynote presentation by AI expert Brooks Hamilton on the impact of artificial intelligence on the broader economy and likely impacts on agricultural business, and a cybersecurity session featuring representatives from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Guest presentations included Betsy Hickman from the Anthesis Group presented on emerging and evolving sustainability trends and its effect on upstream data requirements in her talk, “Charting a Nature Positive Future for Food & Ag.” Mississippi State University Professor Alex Thomasson shared thoughts on trends in autonomy and robotics, and some background on the school’s newly minted Agricultural Autonomy Institute. And EPA’s Christian Bongard provided a virtual presentation on the state of digital crop protection labels.

On the business side, the 2024 Board of Directors was announced along with the new Board Chair, Nutrien’s Scott Charbo. He accepted the gavel from outgoing president Feroz Sheikh of Syngenta.

The 2024 Board is as follows:

Chair: Scott Charbo, Nutrien

Immediate Past: Feroz Sheikh, Syngenta

Bernd Kalfass Topcon

Jacob Crow GROWMARK

Karen Oerter WinField United

Guilherme Panes Jacto

*Patricia Perez Lexagri

Ryan Risdal Proagrica

Felipe Santos John Deere

Fritz Schuster Lexagri

*Robbie Weathers Corteva

Brent Kemp President & CEO, AgGateway

*Newly Elected

AgGateway would like to thank its 2023 Annual Conference sponsors: Proagrica; BASF; Bayer; Corteva Agriscience; Software Solutions Integrated; ACS; Ever.Ag Agribusiness; Growmark, Rosen’s; Control Systems Software; Telus Agriculture; DXC Technology; Co-Alliance Cooperative; AgVantage Software; and the AgCIO Roundtable.

Please mark your calendars for next year’s events:

Mid-Year Meeting
June 10-13, 2024
Prairie Meadows
Altoona, IA

Annual Conference
November 10-13, 2024
Austin, TX