February 23, 2024

This year, PCG will host the U.S. Farm Report at its annual meeting. U.S. Farm Report Host Tyne Morgan comes back to the PCG stage with three renowned, heavy-hitter economists: Jody Campiche, Bart Fischer and Brad Weddelman.

Jody Campiche, National Cotton Council Vice President of Economics and Policy Analysis

Jody Campiche is the vice president of Economics and Policy Analysis for the National Cotton Council. She prepares the economic outlook for global cotton markets and monitors general economic conditions and other commodity markets with attention to their impacts on the cotton economic situation.  Campiche also coordinates and develops analyses of alternative farm and trade policies as they relate to the U.S. and global cotton and textile industries. The Oklahoma native was raised on a farming operation and joined NCC in 2015.

Bart Fischer, co-director of the Texas A&M University Agricultural Food and Policy Center

Bart Fischer serves as the co-director of the Texas A&M University Agricultural Food and Policy Center as well as a senior advisor for federal relations in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Texas A&M AgriLife. Fischer’s applied research focuses on solving real-world policy problems for agricultural producers and on anticipating potential policy changes for Congress to consider. Fischer served the House Agriculture Committee for more than eight years before joining Texas A&M. He is the fifth generation to be raised on the family wheat, cotton and cattle operation in Southwest Oklahoma.

Brad Weddelman, Combest, Sell & Associates Chief Economist

Brad Weddelman provides keen insight and economic analysis on matters of policy for clients and lawmakers as the chief economist for Combest, Sell & Associates in Washington D.C. Additionally, he assists with client casework where he interacts regularly with officials at USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency. A native of Napoleon, Ohio, Weddelman was raised on his family’s wheat, corn and soybean farm.

Following the keynote address, the meeting will continue upstairs with attendees’ choice of breakout sessions. The first session will be from 12:55 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. followed by the second session from 1:50 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Guests also have the option to join the StoneX Cotton Marketing and Hedging Workshop from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Click on the image to view the StoneX workshop agenda.

There are two learning opportunities to choose from in Breakout Session No.1

The Importance of Advocacy and the Legislator’s Role

This panel will feature Texas Senator Charles Perry (District 28), Texas Representative Carl Tepper (District 84) and invited Texas Representative Dustin Burrows (District 83). They will provide insight on the inner workings of the Texas Capitol as well as how their farming constituents and groups can help them serve agriculture’s best interests. The panel moderator will be PCG CEO Kody Bessent.

The Financial Future of Agriculture

This panel will feature AgTexas Farm Credit Services Chief Executive Officer Kayla Robinson, CoBank Regional Ag Easts Lead Relationship Manager Mike Cowley and a representative from Capital Farm Credit. These financial experts will talk interest rates and the future of agricultural financing for farming operations. The panel moderator will be Greg Taylor, partner with D. Williams & Co., Inc. Certified Public Accountants.

There are two learning opportunities to choose from in Breakout Session No. 2.

Handing Down Your Legacy — What You Need to Know About Transitioning Off the Farm

The speaker for this session is Amber Miller. Miller is a partner with Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam, LLP, who specializes in helping clients with agricultural and business law matters. Miller’s focus is primarily property rights and real estate, entity formation and corporate law, contract drafting and negotiations, while also assisting clients with federal regulatory compliance and administrative law matters and commercial litigation.

The Future in Seed/Chemistry Development and Regulation

Panelists include a Syngenta representative, Kenny Melton, BASF, Matt Peeples, Bayer, Cameron Oliver, Corteva, and Tom Brooks, Americot. The panel moderator will be Texas A&M AgriLife Lubbock Center Cotton Extension Specialist Ken Legé.