Top Producer Summit

Top Producer Women in Agriculture Award

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 21:17:15 GMT

The Top Producer Women in Agriculture Award (formerly the Executive Women in Agriculture Trailblazer Award) will be given to a female producer who is a shining example for her peers. The winner will be an advocate for agriculture and represent an innovative farming or ranching operation.

Entrants are judged on agricultural advocacy (50%), farm business innovation (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%).

To apply, complete the entry form below and attach your resume and two letters of reference from an industry peer, banker or agribusiness leader. Winners agree to be recognized in articles published in Top Producer magazine and online. Any financial information remains confidential unless entrants agree to its release.

The winner’s prizes include:

A trip for two including hotel accommodations and a flat travel reimbursement stipend to attend the 2027 Top Producer Summit (Feb.15-17, 2027 in Nashville, TN)
Additional prizes provided by award sponsor(s)

Questions? Contact Margy Eckelkamp at meckelkamp@farmjournal.com.

Click here to download the 2027 application

Read about the 2026 winner, Helle Ruddenklau, Amity, Ore.

Read about the 2025 winner, Kimberly Ratcliff, Oakwood, Texas

Read about the 2024 winner, Pam Johnson, Floyd, Iowa

Read about the 2023 winner, Marcia Ruff, Circleville, Ohio

Read about the 2022 winner, Susan Weaver Ford, Kenly, N.C.

Read about the 2021 winner, Jennie Schmidt, Sudlersville, Md.

Read about the 2020 winners, Macey Wessels and Shelly Boshart Davis, Tangent, Ore.

Read about the 2019 winner, April Hemmes of Hampton, Iowa

Top Producer of the Year Award

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:53:49 GMT

You’ve taken the risks and built a successful business.

You give back to your industry and your local community.

Your story would help others push themselves to achieve success.

The Top Producer of the Year Award identifies and honors agricultural producers from whom our readers can learn business concepts, ranging from value-added ventures to succession plans to overcoming adversity. If these characteristics can be used to describe you, then you should apply to be the 2027 Top Producer of the Year.

Entrants will be judged on:

entrepreneurial originality (50%)
financial and business progress (30%)
industry or community leadership (20%)

Any farmer or rancher who derives at least half of his/her income from farming and farm-related ventures may apply.

Prizes: The 2027 Top Producer of the Year finalists will receive a trip for two and be recognized at Top Producer Summit, Feb. 15 to 17, 2027, in Nashville, Tenn. Additional prizes will be awarded depending on sponsors.

For details, email: meckelkamp@farmjournal.com.

Click here to download the 2027 application

Profiles of Past Winners

2026 Top Producer of the Year
Winner: Alsum Farms and Produce , Friesland, Wis.
Finalists: Dalton Farms , Wakeman, Ohio and Splitter Farms , Sterling, Kan.

2025 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Marc Arnusch , Prospect Valley, Colo.
Finalists: Mark Hanna , Joice, Iowa, and Chase Larson , Belleville, Kan.

2024 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Christiansen Land and Cattle , Kimball, S.D.
Finalists: Garrett Land & Cattle , Arion, Iowa, and PJ Haynie , Reedville, Va.

2023 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Silent Shade Planting Company , Belzoni, Miss.
Finalists: MoDak Dairy , Goodwin, S.D., and Engel Family Farms , Hanover, Va.

2022 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Malecha Enterprises , Villard, Minn.
Finalists: Clearwater Farms , Nezperce, Idaho, and Seven Springs Farms , Joe Nichols, Cadiz, Ky.

2021 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: LongView Farms , Nevada, Iowa
Finalists: DX Ranch , Gettysburg, S.D., and Came Farms , Salina, Kan.

2020 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Kristjan Hebert , Moosomin, Saskatchewan
Finalists: Sam Ross , Pioneer, La., and Becky Berger , Hillsboro, Ore.

2019 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Jimmy Tosh , Henry, Tenn.
Finalists: Chris Adams , Grand Forks, N.D., and Ron Rabou , Albin, Wyo.

2018 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Frank Howey , Monroe, N.C.
Finalists: Bailey Family Farms , Iola, Ill., and Jeremie Pavelski, Heartland Farms , Hancock, Wis.

2017 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Chalmers and Lori Anne Carr , Ridge Spring, S.C.
Finalists: Richard and Roderick Gumz , Endeavor, Wis., and John Pagel , Kewaunee, Wis.

2016 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Donald and Cheri De Jong, Hartley, Texas
Finalists: Ron and Zoey Brooks and Brooks Farms, Waupaca, Wis., and Annie Dee and Dee River Ranch, Aliceville, Ala.

2015 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Bill, Albert, Bernard and David Peterson and Peterson Farms, Loretto, Ky.
Finalists: Stan Boshart and SJB Farms, Tangent, Ore., and Roric Paulman and Paulman Farms, Sutherland, Neb.

2014 Top Producer of the Year

Winner: Lee Lubbers, Gregory, S.D.
Finalists: Jay and Cara Myers, Colfax, N.D., and Joe Zumwalt, Warsaw, Ill.

2013

Luke Brubaker; Mount Joy, Pa.
John Carroll; Illinois and Brazil
Dave Nelson; Fort Dodge, Iowa

2012

Gregg Halverson; Grand Forks, N.D.
Tim Richter; Lime Springs, Iowa
Mike Stamp; Decatur, Mich.

2011

Jim Kline; Hartford City, Ind.
Jake Clark; Grand Ledge, Mich.
Justin Crownover; Sunray, Texas

2010

Donny DeLine; Charleston, Mo.
Schmidt Farms; Sudlersville, Md.
Hudye Farms; Burlington, Colo.

2009

Lon Frahm; Colby, Kan.
Andy & Beth Snider; Hart, Mich.
Duncanson Growers; Mapleton, Minn.

2008

Dave Minich, Logansport, Ind.
Star Rock Farms, Conestoga, Penn.
Leroy Shatto,Osborn, Mo.

2007

Kip Tom, Leesburg, Ind.
Joe Nichols, Wallonia, Ky.
Randy Hughes, Janesville, Wis.

2006

Chad Olsen, Hendricks, Minn.
Dean Walker, Orofino, Ida.
Rick Rosentreter, Carlinville, Ill.

2005

Steve Irsik, Ingalls, Kan.
Bill Kubecka, Palacios, Tex.
Craig Yunker, Elba, N.Y.

2004

Brian Mitchell, Elkhart, Kan.
Kevin Green, DeWitt, Iowa
Jay Garetson, Copeland, Kan.

2003

Dean Folkvord, Three Forks, Mont.
Keith Masser, Sacramento, Pa.
Tim Dewey, Cimarron, Kan.

2002

Melvin Winger, Johnson, Kan.
Jerry Hostetter, Ephrata, Pa.
Jay Clasing, Ruthven, Iowa

2001

Ben Riensche, Jesup, Iowa
John Moser, Greeley, Colo.
Gene Veliquette, Williamsburg, Mich.

2000

Marty Klinker, Fairfield, Mont.
Donnie Young, Ulysses, Kan.
Steve and Lola Raska, Great Falls, Mont.

Top Producer Next Gen Award

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 21:32:11 GMT

The Top Producer Next Gen Award (formerly Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award) will be given to a grower under the age of 40, who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming, including:

Marketing
Farm finance
Family and employee relations
Technology
Environmental stewardship

Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%).

Any farmer, rancher or partnership that gets at least half of their income from farming and farm-related ventures may apply.

The winner’s prizes include:

A trip for two including hotel accommodations and a flat travel reimbursement stipend to attend the 2027 Top Producer Summit (Feb.15-17, 2027 in Nashville, TN)
Additional prizes provided by award sponsor(s)

Deadline: Sept. 1, 2026

For questions, contact meckelkamp@farmjournal.com.

Click here to download the Next Gen Award Application

Read about the 2026 winner, Tim Nuss, Lodi, Calif.
Read about the 2025 winner, Dalton Dilldine, Half Moon, Ark.
Read about the 2024 winner, Hallie Shoffner, Newport, Ark.
Read about the 2023 winner, Trey Wasserburger, North Platte, Neb.
Read about the 2022 winner, Brendan and Elaine Martin, Mt. Solon, Va.
Read about the 2021 winner, Matt Splitter, Lyons, Kan.
Read about the 2020 winner, Chase Dewitz, Steele, N.D.
Read about the 2019 winner, Tony Schwarck of Riceville, Iowa
Read about the 2018 winner, Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.
Read about the 2017 winner, Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.
Read about the 2016 winner, Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.
Read about the 2015 winner, Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.
Read about the 2014 winner, Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.
Read about the 2013 winner, Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.
Read about the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Beyond the Blame Game: Navigate the Mental Toll of Modern Ag

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:55:11 GMT

When market pressures mount, it is easy to succumb to the “blame game.” Yet, the most resilient operations are those that anchor themselves in a mission larger than the current balance sheet. For leaders like James Burgum and Lamar Steiger, coping with stress isn’t just about managing the books, it’s about managing the mindset.

The Many Hats of the Modern Producer

James Burgum, CEO of The Arthur Companies, believes the first step in managing stress is acknowledging the sheer weight of the roles farmers play.

“One of the things I did when I stepped into my role is an exercise where I said to our team, ‘Help me understand all the hats on the farm – farmworker, agronomist, grain merchandiser, mechanic, truck driver, snow removal lead, banker, economist,’” Burgum said during a discussion at Top Producer Summit. “You start to go down the list, and its dozens and dozens of roles that an individual farmer plays.”

By recognizing the complexity of these roles, Burgum argues that producers can move toward servant leadership—prioritizing the team’s needs.

“There are things that are much more important and much bigger than the challenges we’re wrestling with on the job every day,” Burgum says. “It’s hard to juggle all the balls, but at the end of the day, we want everyone on our team to make sure they get home at night and be there for their families.”

Choosing Abundance Over Scarcity

Lamar Steiger, owner of The 808 Ranch, learned about stress through the lens of his father, a man who seemed to face every possible setback: health crises, financial downturns and missed market peaks.

The farm struggled during times of high interest rates in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s and his father was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, Guillain-Barre, that left him paralyzed for six months.

Still, his dad always had an attitude of abundance, not scarcity, Steiger says.

“With my brothers holding other obligations, I was left to milk the cows,” Steiger says. “We were so far behind, and all my dad would say is, ‘It could be worse.’”

Breaking the Silence

Eventually, his family lost the dairy. After hitting rock bottom and battling depression , Steiger realized that the “tough it out” mentality was a liability, not an asset.

“When the stresses pile up, you’ve got to find help,” Steiger says. “I wasn’t ‘man enough’ to step up and say, ‘Hey, something’s wrong here.’ I should have said, ‘Time out—this is not working.’”

Steiger’s advice for those feeling the weight of the current market is simple: Find your “who.” Whether it is a spouse, a neighbor or a professional, talking through the stress is the only way to separate your self-worth from the volatility of the markets.

“In agriculture, we’re so reliant on outside forces,” Steiger says. “You’ve got to have an attitude that it’s going to work out. As my Dad would say, ‘Well, we never missed a meal.’ That was his bottom line for ‘It’s okay.’”

From Constraints to Catalysts: How Ag Leaders Turn Hardships into Strategy

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:19:02 GMT

In an industry defined by “one-year-at-a-time” cycles, the greatest threat to a growing operation isn’t just a market downturn—it’s the inertia that comes with size. Farm Journal CEO Prescott Shibles argues that long-term survival requires a rare blend of faith and agility. To maintain an entrepreneurial mindset, leaders must lean into “conviction” as the core of a strategy that survives the lows.

Here is how four industry leaders are turning today’s constraints into tomorrow’s differentiators.

1. Build when times are hard.

When Brent Smith, president and CEO of NewLeaf Symbiotics, joined the company in 2023, the grain market was entering a significant down cycle. While some saw a risky time to lead a startup, he saw an opportunity.

“I learned in my first startup that the best time to build a business is in hard times,” Smith said said during a discussion at Top Producer Summit. “Because if you can’t withstand tough times, you’re not going to survive long term.”

For Smith, survival meant doubling down on the company’s core: science. Despite the pressure to cut costs, NewLeaf continues to spend half of its operating expenses on science.

“It would be very easy to peel that back,” he admits. “But we focused on projects that make the most impact the quickest, while keeping an eye on the long-term innovation in our pipeline.”

2. Control what you can control.

Farmers face the ultimate constraint every year: the weather. Scott Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids, recalls the planting crisis of 2019 when constant rains kept tractors out of the fields well into May.

“I was concerned for our customers not being able to plant, but also for us not being able to plant our seed for the next year,” Beck says. “There was nothing that we could do to control the weather, but we could control how we interacted with our customers.”

Rather than retreating, the Beck’s team focused on transparency and empathy, using video series to connect with farmers and even forming small groups for prayer and support. Ultimately, they wanted farmers to know they cared and were there to support them however they could.

Despite the financial reality of what could happen if farmers didn’t plant and returned seed, Beck’s decided their course of action would not include employee layoffs. Instead, they prepared to sell land to protect their people.

“Fortunately, the weather broke and everybody was able to get planted,” he says. “Then the second miracle happened. We had the second warmest September on record, and that’s what brought the crop through to enable 2019 to not turn out as bad as it started.”

3. Turn disadvantages into advantages.

In 2014, Lamar Steiger, owner of The 808 Ranch, was tasked with a monumental challenge: helping Walmart reinvent its beef supply chain. At the time, the retail giant was at a disadvantage, forced to accept whatever the major meatpackers provided.

Steiger’s strategy was to turn that lack of control into a new kind of independence.

“I convinced the Walmart team to go around the traditional supply chain,” Steiger says. Today, Walmart sources 28% of its beef from its own “farm-to-table” supply chain.

There’s no question that decision was really good for Walmart. But Steiger says it was also really good for him personally.

“It reminded me that no matter how big you are, there are always challenges,” he says.

4. Create “white space” for the future.

When the day-to-day tasks of an operation become overwhelming, long-term strategy is often the first thing to go. James Burgum, CEO of The Arthur Companies, believes leaders must intentionally carve out “white space” for their teams.

“It’s important to find ways where people can actually spend their time working on the business, not just in the business,” he says.

By protecting time for team members to execute ideas that are three to five years out, Burgum manages the tension between short-term urgency and long-term viability.

“It’s hard to step away from the daily fires you’ll face in your operation, but it’s important,” he adds. “How we manage that tension of short term and long term is creating that white space and making sure that we consciously work on the business.

The Long Game

Ultimately, resilience in agriculture is about knowing when to push and when to pivot.

“You have to know when to put the gas down, and you need to know when to tap the brake,” Smith says. “And regardless of what you are doing, you need to stay focused on what you’re doing.”

Whether it is investing in science during a downturn or choosing customer empathy over the bottom line, these leaders say constraints don’t have to be roadblocks; they can be the very catalysts that drive an operation forward.

When Risk in a Crisis Becomes a Turning Point: Lessons from Top Producers

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:51:41 GMT

In a volatile agricultural landscape, risk is a constant. Weather, markets, input costs, succession issues, cyberthreats and pandemics all push farm families into uncomfortable decisions. During the “When Taking Risk in Times of Crisis Pays Off” panel at Top Producer Conference, six producers shared how they’ve navigated those moments — and what they’ve learned when the stakes were highest.

The panel, moderated by Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Advisors in West Des Moines, Iowa, included: Edward and Rebecca Dalton, of Dalton Farms, Wakeman, Ohio; Chris Payne of 3B Hay & Straw, Ontario, Ore.; Wendy Alsum Dykstra and Heidi Alsum Randall of Alsum Farms and Produce, Friesland, Wis.; and Ron Rabou of Rabou Farms, Albin, Wyo.

Their stories spanned family tragedy, ransomware, COVID-19 disruptions, organic transitions and bold expansion moves — offering a candid look at what it really means to take risk in agriculture.

Here are five key takeaways from the conversation:

1. Crisis as a Catalyst, Not a Dead End

For several panelists, a crisis didn’t just test their operations; it forced a complete re-evaluation.

The Daltons describe being emotionally exhausted and financially stuck before a Top Producer event pushed them to question everything.

“We were floundering in agriculture,” Rebecca says. “We were not making any money, really. We were just doing it to do it and to continue that legacy. And we were to the point where, like, ‘why are we doing this?’ You know, we only have so many days here. We only have so much time here.”

After a series of family tragedies and persistent unprofitability, they made a bold move to transition about half their acres to organic production. The shift brought much-needed profitability and renewed purpose.

“The risk was I was going to quit farming,” Edward explains. “We needed something and a spark and to just want to farm again.”

In Wyoming, Rabou’s turning point came after the sudden death of his father and the unraveling of a complex family ranch structure. Walking away from a fifth-generation operation was emotionally painful, but necessary.

“We did a lot of soul searching, and I kind of came to the conclusion that the risk for me for not doing something was much greater than actually doing something,” he says.

Rabou and his wife started essentially from scratch, building an organic grain operation and a hunting enterprise, borrowing heavily despite having grown up in a “never borrow” mindset.

2. Numbers Matter — But They Aren’t Everything

A recurring theme was the importance of knowing your numbers while recognizing data alone cannot drive every decision.

“Knowing our numbers is what really helped us,” Edward explains. “If you know your own data front and back, when you really get into those tight situations that you need to be able to think and move… sometimes you just have to move, whether you want to or not.”

Recently, the Daltons made a bold move back to conventional production. The Daltons’ choice to step out of organic was a conscious decision to go against what the spreadsheet said, in favor of their family and team.

“Right now, when I’m hauling $12 beans instead of $40 beans, like we were for a few years, I’m not really happy with that decision, but it was too much time,” Edward explains. “We were losing time with our boys, and that ultimately is why we went back, even though we were making more money per acre.”

Rabou emphasizes having a clear philosophy about leverage: “I have no problem borrowing money on appreciating assets, but I have to be very careful about borrowing money on assets that depreciate.”

For him, land and infrastructure are long-game investments, and he admits he more often regrets the risks he didn’t take than the ones he did.

“I’ve never looked back and said I shouldn’t have made that investment,” he says. “But I have looked back a multitude of times and said, ‘Wow, I wish I would have made that investment.’”

3. Fear vs. Action: Moving When the Window Opens

Panelists agree that fear is often the biggest barrier to seizing opportunity — especially when decisions must be made quickly.

Oregon onion grower and packer Payne describes how, in the middle of a tense meeting, he and another young partner were essentially challenged to buy out older shareholders in an onion packing facility. They had seconds, not months, to commit.

His broader advice to producers now: “Don’t get caught up in fear. If you let fear dominate your thought processes, you’re never going to succeed.”

Preparation helps in those “15-second” decision moments, Payne adds. Continually learning, attending conferences and thinking through scenarios ahead of time gives you a framework so you’re not starting from zero when opportunity knocks.

Edward adds, “You absolutely know how it’ll go if you don’t try. If you’re not willing to try, it’s not going to work. You can’t move forward if you don’t do something or try.”

4. Cyberattacks, COVID-19 and the Power of Systems

For Alsum Farms & Produce crisis came in very modern forms: a ransomware attack and then the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At 3 a.m. one morning in October, I got a call from our IT manager that we had been hit with ransomware,” Wendy explains.

She explains recovery from the attack required all hands on deck, multiple external experts and months of work to protect traceability and keep product moving. The aftermath included layered backups, new server and email security, user training and an ongoing relationship with cybersecurity and insurance professionals.

Just months later, COVID-19 hit. With 90% to 95% of their business retail-focused, the Alsum team quickly formed a COVID-19 response group, redesigning workflows to keep employees safe and shelves stocked.

The sisters say one key result from COVID-19 was when another supplier faltered, the Alsums were ready to step up for a major retailer — turning crisis into opportunity.

5. Relationships as a Strategic Asset

Beyond capital and land, the panel underscores the value of relationships — with peers, competitors and buyers.

Edward, Payne and Rabou maintain a group text, often used when one of them is wrestling with a big decision.

“Have people in an industry that you can trust and communicate with,” Edward stresses. “There’s been days they’ve literally had to walk me off a ledge when I’m trying to figure out how to make a decision.”

In the potato and produce world, Heidi says, competitors often become collaborators when the chips are down.

“The nice thing about the potato industry and the produce industry in general that we’ve experienced is that it’s been very collaborative,” she explains.
Rabou adds he sometimes sells grain below top price to maintain long-term relationships and outlet security.

“Those relationships to me are more important than making the dollar in the moment,” he explains.

His broader warning to producers is to stop comparing your operation to your neighbors’.

“You really have to determine what works good for you as an individual, you as a couple, you as a business,” he stresses. “Stop paying attention to what everyone else is doing.”

The Bottom Line from Top Producers

Across all their stories, the panelists echoed a few core principles:

Know your numbers but also know your values.
Act in crisis — don’t let fear make the choice for you.
Be willing to pivot, even away from something profitable, if it no longer fits your life or strategy.
Invest in appreciating assets and in relationships, both of which can pay off long after the crisis has passed.

In short, risk in times of crisis isn’t just something to endure; handled intentionally, it can be the turning point that reshapes a farm for the better.

Global Protein Demand Surges 2% Annually as Producers Navigate Volatile Markets

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:28:01 GMT

While global protein demand is growing at roughly 2% annually, livestock producers must navigate a complex landscape of regional shifts, disease risks and policy battles that will define the next decade of production.

“The Global Protein Outlook: Demand, Trade and the Supply Picture” panel discussion during this year’s Top Producer Summit brought together experts from the beef, dairy and pork industries to explore demand, trade dynamics and risks facing the livestock industry today.

Beef, dairy and pork experts explain how foreign animal disease and climate extremes threaten herds and what risk-management strategies producers can use to stay profitable.

(Farm Journal)

On the panel were:

Kenny Burdine, University of Kentucky agricultural economist
Stephen Cain, National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC)
Renee Strickland, Strickland Ranch & Exports, Inc.
Scott Hays, Missouri Pork Association

Five key takeaways from the discussion include:

1. Global protein demand is structurally strong, driven by population growth, rising incomes and a broad cultural focus on protein.

“Globally, we are seeing an increase in protein demand broadly across the board,” Cain summarizes.

He describes a few demand patterns:

Regions like sub-Saharan Africa and India: demand mainly from more mouths to feed, not big per-capita jumps.
Regions like Southeast Asia and China: both population and per-capita protein consumption have risen sharply.
Developed regions like the U.S. and Europe are in a fortified-protein trend: “We are cramming protein into everything,” Cain describes. “We have protein water on the market now … it’s across the world.”

Plant-based and alternative proteins seem to be a niche.

Burdine explains: “They’ve not taken any market share. It’s still kind of staying in that niche and not impacting the major protein categories.”

Cain adds the dairy alternatives are seeing category declines, with more consumers realizing milk is a whole food compared to the ingredient in an almond beverage.

2. Supply and trade are shifting toward more regionalized production and stronger competitors, but U.S. strengths in productivity and quality remain critical.

On the supply side, Cain explains rising demand does not always translate into equally increasing exports.

“We’ve seen that slow down,” he says. “More of that protein demand is being filled by domestic production, more regionalized players.”

He links this to some pushback against globalism and more inward-looking, domestic strategies. The U.S. remains a key exporter but faces growing regional competition.

Burdine adds while the U.S. has the smallest cow herd since 1961 , productivity gains mean more output per animal. He points out Brazil passed the U.S. as the largest beef producer.

“It’s not that there’s not competition out there, but we absolutely [have] a great advantage here in the states,” he says.

From pork’s perspective, Hays says the U.S. pork supply should stay steady into 2026, while global pork supply is shrinking. He predicts China may decrease 1.4 million sows, Spain is cutting numbers due to African Swine Fever, yet Brazil is continuing to grow its numbers.

3. Risk and resilience — disease, climate extremes and feed quality — are central concerns, making biosecurity, preparedness and careful storage essential.

Hays highlights herd health is the biggest concern for all livestock producers.

“What keeps every producer up is herd health,” he stresses.

He points out to these concerns today:

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS): PRRS causes “very, very significant losses” and takes a multiyear recovery
Foreign animal diseases – African Swine Fever, foot-and-mouth disease and New World screwworm .

“Foot and mouth should scare everybody at this conference,” he stresses. “We would lose all of those exports on all of those products, from dairy to beef to pork.”

From the cattle perspective, Strickland adds climate extremes are a concern for ranchers today.

“I also fear the climate change extremes that we’re all experiencing,” she says. “Extreme drought, extreme rains… that’s really challenging for me as a producer.”

More information about disease challenges facing the livestock producers today:

PRRS ‘Still Sucks’: New Strain Plagues Pork Producers in Ohio

Strategies to Help Raise PRRS-Positive Pigs

Is a World Without PRRS Possible? Two Veterinarians Say ‘Yes’

Help Protect the U.S. from African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever: What it means for America if it were to get into the country

What Do Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Europe Mean for the U.S.?

The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

New World Screwworm: An Infestation, Not Infection

4. Consumer behavior shows both opportunity and caution: strong protein demand despite high prices, but some trade-down, weaker foodservice and ongoing debates over “ultra-processed” foods.

Burdine compares today’s protein enthusiasm to past diet waves like Atkins and South Beach, but emphasizes: “Consumer trends are always challenging, but it’s the most encouraging in my career.”

Two features about the demand craze he points out are:

How widespread it is across species and products, including eggs.
Price behavior — despite very high retail prices, demand remains strong.

Burdines explains this suggests a deeper, more durable shift for increased protein demand, not just a short-lived fad.

Cain adds in the protein world trade-down due to inflation and increasing costs is real, especially in foodservice.

He notes lower-income consumers pull back on fast food and quick service, which hurts cheese and dairy demand. Cheese consumption, which usually increases about 2% per year, fell 2% last year, which he says is largely due to weaker foodservice traffic.

Burdine adds that trade-down happens across and within species.

Hays emphasizes the new dietary guidelines are a big win for protein and specifically animal protein.

“We’re excited,” he says. “Pork is at the top on the left-hand side, but it’s more about shifting the conversation. We’re moving away from ‘animal fat makes you fat.’ Meat provides hard-to-replace vitamins and minerals, including in the fat portion.”

He did share concern about how ultra-processed concepts are being used.

“We’ve taken this word ‘ultra-processed’, and now it’s a household word. It is the single unit of measure [for] whether or not we should or should not eat something,” Hays says. “And we don’t even know what the definition of it is.”

He explains if ultra-processed is the only metric, a sausage patty and a honey bun look identical, which is misleading for real nutrition decisions.

Cain adds allowing whole milk in schools is a big win, but schools are facing a higher cost than skim and calorie caps that make menu-balancing harder.

5. Strategic actions for producers: robust risk management, efficiency and quality focus, diversification and a commitment to mentoring the next generation.

Cain encourages producers to use risk management and pricing strategies to help make them viable at today’s prices.

“If you’re not economically viable today, you’re not going to be economically viable tomorrow,” he says.

Burdine adds to think about risk management broadly considering price tools and protection from acts of God. This includes biosecurity strategies and insurance.

“Focus on efficiency and quality to stay competitive in good and bad markets,” he stresses.

Hays asks grain producers to protect feed quality. Poorly stored corn or DDGs (dry distillers grains) can create toxin issues that hurt animal performance and reduce demand.

“Your consumer really needs it to be high quality,” he stresses. “And we’ll buy more of it.”

Strickland encourages producers to diversify their income and not put all their eggs in one basket. Her business includes a ranch, export company and a non-ag title search company.

“When one of them is not doing so well, something else bails me out,” she summarizes. “If you’re in a position that you can diversify just a little bit, it can get you through the hard times.”

The final message was a question: Who are you mentoring and investing in? All producers need to consider how they are going to pass information on to the next generation and help them be successful and thrive.

Your Next Reads:
U.S. Cattle Inventory Hits 75-Year Low at 86.2 Million Head
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Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:31:11 GMT

“We are in this phase of stabilizing this relationship,” said Lyu Jiang, minister for economic and commercial affairs at the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. “We have asked that the two sides, China and the U.S., reposition their relationship overall so we have a bigger-picture arrangement in which China is no longer considered as a rival competitor, to an extent, or enemy of the United States.”

At the 2026 Top Producer Summit in Nashville, Lyu expressed hope that an April meeting between the countries’ leaders would lead to a longer-term resolution.

Nearly 700 miles away, at the same moment on Feb. 1, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth were sitting together in a show of solidarity as they scrawled their signatures across a freshly printed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The document is meant to link USDA and the Department of Defense to raise agriculture’s status as a pillar of national security through the National Farm Security Action Plan.

Today, @SecWar and I signed a new agreement strengthening coordination between @USDA and the @DeptofWar to protect American farmland, agriculture, and our food systems from foreign threats. 🇺🇸🌾🔒

This MOU advances our National Farm Security Action Plan through a new partnership… pic.twitter.com/QywLvbhzBq
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 11, 2026

“Before President Trump came into office the consolidation of our farmland, the foreign adversarial ownership of farmland, especially from China and other places, had really been creeping up on our country,” said Rollins just ahead of the signing on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria .” “We have almost 300,000 acres owned by China, a lot of our food supply comes from foreign (owned) sources, and we’re working to reverse that while at the same time protecting our farmers and protecting our farmland from our foreign adversaries.”

Through the National Farm Security Action Plan, launched in July 2025, USDA has rolled out a number of security-focused steps. The new MOU creates a framework allowing USDA and the War Department to work more closely on defending the nation’s food and agricultural systems, strengthening domestic productivity and addressing emerging security threats to American agriculture.

This latest MOU extends the plan and creates a new partnership between Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and USDA chief scientist by allowing:

Sharing of information regarding security vulnerabilities in agriculture.
Collaboration to develop novel technological solutions to American agriculture’s biggest challenges.
Exchange of personnel to ensure both departments are well-equipped to protect American agriculture.

By the Numers: Foreign Land Ownership in the U.S.

Foreign-Owned-Land-by-County

(USDA)

According to USDA , 43.4 million acres of forest and farmland in the U.S., or 3.4% of all ag land, is foreign owned as of Dec. 31, 2022. Roughly 30 million of those acres are reported as foreign owned, with the remainder primarily under a 10-year-or-longer lease. Of the 30 million, 66% are owner-operated, 14% have a tenant or sharecropper as the producer and 12% report a manager other than the owner or a tenant/sharecropper as producer. The remaining 7% are “N.A.”

Canada owns the most land in the U.S., which accounts for 32%, or 14.2 million acres. Rounding out the top five are the Netherlands at 12%, Italy at 6%, the United Kingdom at 6% and Germany at 5%. Together, citizens in those countries hold 13 million acres, or 29%, of the foreign-held acres in the U.S. China owns less than 1%, or 349,442 acres.

USDA says the two biggest Chinese-owned companies with landholdings in the U.S. are Brazos Highland and Murphy Brown LLC, which owns Smithfield Foods. Brazos Highland reported owning 102,345 acres, and Smithfield owns 97,975 acres.

China’s Push for Investment Amid State Restrictions

In October 2023, Arkansas became the first state to ban foreign-owned farmland. By early 2024, approximately 24 states had enacted laws specifically restricting or prohibiting foreign individuals, entities or governments from owning or acquiring agricultural land within their borders.

Some of the key trends in recent legislation:

Targeted Countries: Many recent laws (such as those in Florida, Arkansas and Missouri) specifically target “foreign adversaries” as defined by the federal government, which often includes China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela.
Proximity to Military Sites: Several states, including Missouri and Georgia, have focused restrictions on land within a certain radius (often 10 to 25 miles) of military installations or critical infrastructure.
Divestiture Requirements: Some states, like Arkansas, have begun enforcing these laws by requiring foreign-owned companies to sell their current holdings.

Lyu, speaking plainly from the Top Producer Summit stage, said instead, China wants to grow its economy and invest in other countries. That includes making investments in the U.S.

“I think with the growing capacity and the innovation in China, we would like to shift our capacity also overseas,” Lyu said. “That is why, not only in the ag sector, but also in tech and manufacturing, we would like to see our investment going to other countries as well, including here in the U.S.”

On the agricultural side, China already owns several large ag companies, such as Syngenta and Smithfield. Lyu says China would like to grow that footprint, as well, including buying or investing in farmland.

“China has been wanting to, for example, expand its farming business here but, unfortunately, 30 states or something like that have adopted laws to prohibit Chinese investors from acquiring land to farm,” Lyu said. “Of course, we consider that as discriminatory. We appreciate the importance of national security, etc., but we believe that national security should be delineated in a way that it does not affect a normal trade or investment.”

While China has been a critically important customer for U.S. agricultural goods, Lyu says teamwork and a “benign” relationship would reap added benefits as the country continues to grow.

“China is the biggest importer of ag products in the world, and it will continue to be so in the next two decades, if not longer,” Lyu said. “The middle-income population in China will continue to grow and it’s expected to double in the next seven or eight years.”

Key Actions Under the National Farm Security Action Plan

This administration, while hopeful of a mutually beneficial trading relationship, isn’t overlooking what it considers foreign threats to agriculture’s future.

“President Trump is putting America First and that means ensuring our government is working as one to defend the safety, security and resilience of our food supply and the land that sustains it,” Rollins said. “Over the past year, USDA has delivered real results under the National Farm Security Action Plan.”

The MOU announcement is just the latest step in several direct actions USDA has taken to help secure farmland, protect critical supply chains, defend nutrition programs from fraud and foreign influence, strengthen research security and ensure America First policies across USDA programs.

“In the face of growing threats from adversaries who seek to undermine our food supply and agricultural independence, the Department of War stands ready to defend America’s farms as vital national security assets. This Memorandum of Understanding with USDA, particularly through partnership with DARPA, will drive innovative solutions to protect our farmers and ranchers from cyberattacks, foreign intrusions and biosecurity risks. Together, under the leadership of President Trump and in collaboration with Secretary Rollins, we’re ensuring that American agriculture remains resilient, productive and a cornerstone of our nation’s strength,” Hegseth said.

.@SECWAR joined @SecRollins to sign a Memorandum of Understanding advancing the National Farm Security Action Plan—

Food security is NATIONAL SECURITY! pic.twitter.com/8W1UIofPCl
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) February 11, 2026

Since first announcing the National Farm Security Action Plan, the agency has taken a number of actions, including:

Publishing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on modernizing reporting requirements of foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA).
Developing an online filing system for enhanced AFIDA reports to provide an alternative to the in-person filing of paper reports.
Launching an online portal for farmers, ranchers and the public to report possible false or failed reporting of foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land.
Working across the federal government to designate critical fertilizer inputs as critical minerals.
Terminating contractors and visiting scientists who have citizenship from countries of concern.
Developing new research and development priorities that emphasize the importance of safeguarding American agriculture.
Standardizing terms and conditions across all USDA grant and cooperative agreement programs.
Blocking taxpayer funding for solar panels from China and prohibiting BioPreferred Certifications to entities located in countries of concern.
Building on this strong foundation, today’s MOU establishes a formal framework for USDA and the War Department agencies to collaborate more closely to defend the nation’s food and agricultural systems, strengthen domestic productivity and address emerging security threats to American agriculture.