Ag Outlook Conference Features New FAPRI Leadership, Key National Policy Voices
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI
University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI-MU) will host the 2026 Abner W. Womack Missouri Agricultural Outlook Conference on Wednesday, April 8. The free event will be held at the Poehlmann Education Center at the MU Bradford Research Farm in Columbia.
Now in its 12th year, the Womack Conference delivers objective, data-driven insight on agricultural markets, policy and farm-level challenges that matter most to Missouri’s producers and agricultural stakeholders, conference organizers say.
Conference highlights
New FAPRI leadership and baseline
FAPRI director Seth Meyer will provide an overview of institute’s 2026 agricultural market baseline, including projections for commodity markets, farm income and key policy drivers influencing the year ahead.
Meyer, who previously served as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief economist and as chairman of the World Agricultural Outlook Board, brings a wealth of national and global market perspective to Missouri agriculture.
Policy and market analyses
The 2026 program features complementary presentations from national partners who work closely with FAPRI on economic and policy research:
- The Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies at North Dakota State University will provide perspective on evolving trade policies, shifts in global demand and implications for U.S. competitiveness.
- Analysts from the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University will share the latest indicators of farm-level financial health across production systems and regions.
- The MU Rural & Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center will offer updated assessments of Missouri’s agricultural economy, highlighting current financial conditions, vulnerabilities and emerging trends facing producers.
Keynote Address: USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce
USDA Undersecretary of Farm Programs and Conservation Richard Fordyce will deliver the keynote. He will discuss federal conservation strategy, farm program implementation and national priorities shaping agriculture in 2026 and beyond.
Breimyer policy panel: Animal pests and disease risk
The Harold F. Breimyer Panel on Agricultural Policy will focus on the market impacts and producer-level implications of emerging and persistent animal pests and diseases, including:
- New world screwworm (NWS)
- High pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
- Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)
The discussion will be moderated by FAPRI’s Sera Chiuhiarelli. Panelists include Corinne Bromfield, MU veterinarian and assistant extension professor; and Jada Thompson, University of Arkansas. They will examine biological, economic and policy dimensions of animal health challenges that affect Missouri producers.
From the ground up: Missouri producer reflections
The conference will conclude with insights from a panel of Missouri producers representing three distinct regions and three different agricultural sectors. MU Extension specialist Ben Brown will moderate. Producers will react to the day’s presentations and offer practical, on-the-ground perspectives about current industry challenges and opportunities, Brown said.
The conference is free to attend, and lunch is provided by the Abner W. Womack Excellence in Agricultural Policy Endowment. Advance registration is appreciated. Agenda and online registration.
For more information, contact Ben Brown at bpbrown@missouri.edu or 573-882-6527. ∆
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION