WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Stimulate your thinking about agriculture’s future and how you can position your farm to be successful in the years ahead Jan. 6 at Purdue University’s annual Top Farmer Conference.

Farm management experts and agricultural economists from Purdue, University of Kentucky, Iowa State, Schrader Real Estate and Auction Co., Inc., and Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management will be on-hand to guide participants on how to analyze financial challenges and discuss opportunities for their operations.

“Agriculture is a dynamic and changing industry,” said James Mintert, Purdue agricultural economics professor and director of the Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. “We developed the Top Farmer Conference with that in mind. We want producers and agribusiness professionals alike to understand the current economic climate and identify strategies that will position their operations for future growth and success.”

This year’s conference features sessions on the interest rate outlook and how it will impact your farm, what’s ahead for farmland values, key factors affecting used farm machinery values, and understanding the drivers of fertilizer prices. The conference will conclude with a presentation on the outlook for corn and soybeans as well as a longer view of what’s ahead for the U.S. agriculture economy and the management implications.

The one-day conference will take place at Purdue’s Beck Agricultural Center, 4550 US-52, West Lafayette from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. ET. Registration is $150. If you are unable to attend in-person, you can still join us remotely at one of the best conferences of the winter meeting season. Note that conference video recordings and slide deck presentations will only be available to registered participants.

The conference is sponsored by the Center for Commercial Agriculture and Farm Credit Mid-America. For more information or to register, contact Sarah Zahn at smithse@purdue.edu or 765-494-7004 or visit https://purdue.ag/topfarmer.

Session topics and presenters:

“How High Will Rates Go & Implications for the Farm Economy,” Jason Henderson, professor and senior associate dean, Purdue’s College of Agriculture; Michael Langemeier, professor and associate director, the  Center for Commercial Agriculture; and Brady Brewer, Purdue associate professor of agricultural economics.

“Farmland Prices: How High is too High,” Todd Kuethe, Purdue associate professor and Schrader Endowed Chair in Farmland Economics; R.D. Schrader, president, Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, Inc.; and Howard Halderman, president & CEO, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management.

“Fertilizer Outlook: What’s in Store for 2023 & 2024,” Mike Rahm, independent consultant, Michael R Rahm Consulting LLC.

“Rising Used Machinery Costs: Is There an End in Sight,” Tyler Mark, associate professor of agricultural economics, University of Kentucky.

“Ag Outlook: Looking Beyond the 2023 Crop Year,” Chad Hart, professor of economics and crop marketing specialist, Iowa State University.