Elevate: An AI in Agriculture Summit explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture—from predictive analytics and automation to building more accessible, secure, and interoperable data systems. Through expert-led keynotes, panel discussions, and meaningful networking, this summit will address key barriers to adoption, ensure alignment with grower and industry needs, and spotlight AI’s potential to solve agriculture’s most urgent challenges.

Attendees will engage with thought leaders from government, academia, and private industry to shape the role of research, policy, and commercialization in the next wave of AgTech innovation.

Summit Goals

1. Align AI Innovation with Agricultural Stakeholders: Ensure that AI development is grounded in the realities of farming, including grower needs and regional variability.
2. Lower Barriers to Adoption: Address issues of cost, connectivity, technical support, and ROI to make AI accessible across farm sizes.
3. Enable a Secure & Interoperable Data Ecosystem: Promote data privacy, transparency, and usability in AI-driven tools.
4. Explore the Future of AI in Ag: Discuss emerging technologies and their role in tackling longstanding and emerging agricultural challenges.

9:00 am | Registration + Coffee

10:00 am | Welcome with Dr. William Aderholdt, Grand Farm

10:05 am | Keynote: Why AI Matters

• Deborah Golden, Chief Innovation Officer, Deloitte USA

10:20 am | CIO Panel: What Matters to a CIO?

• Moderator: Jeroen Hoogendoorn, CHS
• Sara Boe, Cargill
• Jeremy Lembeck, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
• Shane Wehkamp, Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, Koch Minerals & Trading

10:50 am | Why Research Matters

• Angie Cooper, Heartland Forward 
• Dave Shideler, Heartland Forward 

11:25 am | Special Announcement: MSUM AI Initiative

• Jason Trainer, Minnesota State University Moorhead

11:30 am | Startup Pitches

• Prashant Mishra, Agripilot
• Dr. Simone Ludwig, North Dakota State University
• Shane Emmons, Swept.AI
• Sharan Shirodkar, Prediction Guard
• Braydon Love, 701x

12:00 pm | Lunch

1:00 pm | Keynote: Landscape of Venture Funding in AI

• John Werner, Managing Director and Partner, Link Ventures

1:20 pm | Panel: Aligning AI Innovation with Agricultural Stakeholders

• Moderator: Jake Joraanstad, CEO of Bushel
• Jeff Van Pevenage, Columbia Grain International

2:00 pm | Panel: AI in Motion – Robotics Transforming the Farm

• Santosh Kumar Pitla, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Dr. Xin (Rex) Sun, North Dakota State University
• Luan Pereira de Oliveira, University of Georgia
• Ce Yang, University of Minnesota

2:45 pm | Closing Panel: Farmer-Focused AI – Solving Real Problems on the Farm

• Moderator: Dan Chrest, Vice President Innovation, AgCountry FCS, Farm Credit Services of America, and Frontier FC 
• Kyle Courtney, Courtney Farms, RentEase
• Eric Halvorson, Black Gold Farms
• Chris Johnson

3:35 pm | Closing Keynote: AI for Good

• Nipun Mehta, Founder, ServiceSpace