Thursday, November 5, 2020
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. CT: Political Update
What’s in store for the agriculture industry in 2021? The 2020 election promises to be pivotal for the agricultural economy with issues such as trade, regulation, labor, and sustainability in the balance. Just days after the election, Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, will review what we know about the election results and how they may impact farmer-owned cooperatives.
Chuck Conner, President and CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Moderator: Courtney Berner, Executive Director, UW Center for Cooperatives
10:15 a.m. – 11 a.m. CT: Breakout Discussion Groups
Moderators:
Mike Boland, University of Minnesota
Matthew Elliott, South Dakota State University
Kate LaTour, National Cooperative Business Association
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT: Lightning Round Session: Cooperative Research
Join this session to hear succinct, engaging presentations on the latest cooperative research topics from leading cooperative academics.
Implications of Book versus Tax Based Patronage for Agricultural Cooperatives – Amanda Higgins, Oklahoma State University
Section 199 and Agribusiness Investment Decisions – Will Secor, University of Georgia
Comparison of Equity Management Programs – Phil Kenkel, Oklahoma State University
A Bayesian Understanding of Cooperative Risk and Effective Strategies – Matthew Elliott, South Dakota State University
Assessing the Value of Agricultural Cooperative Membership – Todd Schmit, Cornell University
Cooperative Research and Educational Needs – Jason Franken, Western Illinois University
Reaction to NCERA 210 and C-FARE project on Research Priorities for Agricultural Cooperatives and Their Farmer-Members – Michael Boland, University of Minnesota & Brian Briggeman, Kansas State University
2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. CT: Leadership in the New Normal
2020 has been a year of overlapping crises. Between the global pandemic, an economic downturn, political and social unrest, and active fire and hurricane seasons, cooperative leaders have been put to the test. In this session, cooperative leaders will share the lessons they are learning as their organizations navigate and adapt to this “New Normal” and how they are planning for what lies ahead.
Bob Huffman, President & CEO, First District Association
Emily Rooney, President & CEO, Agricultural Council of California
Dan Vincent, CEO, Pacific Coast Producers
Moderator: Mark Biedenfeld, Vice President, Cooperative Resources, CHS Inc.
3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT: Breakout Discussion Groups
Moderators:
Lisa Cavanaugh, FCC Services
Keri Jacobs, Iowa State University
Jason Lueders, CoBank
Friday, November 6, 2020
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. CT: Recruiting The Next Generation of Directors
Including the perspectives of young members on cooperative boards is critical to building businesses that will thrive long into the future, however the average age and tenure of cooperative directors continues to rise. In this session, we will hear directly from young directors about their motivation for seeking election to a cooperative board, their experience serving on the board, and how cooperatives can improve their attraction and retention of young directors.
Jason Lay, Director, GROWMARK
Sarah Olsen, Board Chairwoman, Cooperative Grain and Supply
Brittany Spurley, Director, Foremost Farms
Moderator: Rocky Weber, President & General Counsel, Nebraska Cooperative Council
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CT: Breakout Discussion Groups
Moderators:
Phil Kenkel, Oklahoma State University
Kristi Livingston, University of Missouri
Thomas Swearingen, GROWMARK
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT: Fad or New Reality? Emerging Trends Resulting from COVID 19
The pandemic is likely to have long-lasting impacts on how we do business. Which changes are here to stay, and which changes are passing fads? In this session, cooperative leaders will discuss high level trends such as flexible work arrangements, workforce migration, supply chain shifts, changing consumer preferences, and omni-channel expansion within cooperatives.
Thomas Halverson, President and Chief Executive Officer, CoBank
Carol Kitchen, Vice President Energy and Logistics, GROWMARK
Brett Sciotto, President and CEO, Aimpoint Research
Moderator: Doug O’Brien, President & CEO, National Cooperative Business Association
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. CT: Breakout Discussion Groups
Moderators:
Brian Briggeman, Kansas State University
Tom Wegner, Land O’Lakes
Jennifer Wickman, Cooperative Network