USDA Announces Two Prominent Speakers for the 2025 Agricultural Outlook Forum

Dec 13, 2024

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces the addition of two prominent speakers to the agenda for the 101st Agricultural Outlook Forum, “Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges, Today,” scheduled for February 27-28, 2025.

Jeff Schmid, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, will address the Forum with a plenary speech on the morning of February 27. His remarks will focus on his outlook for the macroeconomy and monetary policy based on his perspective as the Federal Reserve’s leader for the Tenth District, a region that covers much of the central United States and includes a significant agricultural footprint.

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen will be the dinner speaker on the evening of February 27, where he will discuss his vision for making Nebraska a frontrunner in building a biobased economy while promoting practices that maximize the productivity of the state’s agricultural resources.

The Forum will bring together leaders from government, industry, and academia to discuss the wide range of issues facing agriculture and opportunities to improve the well-being of farmers, businesses, consumers, and the environment.

The 2025 Forum program will also feature a presentation on the 2025 outlook for the U.S. agricultural economy and trade by USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, along with a plenary panel of distinguished guest speakers and over 30 breakout sessions organized by USDA agencies. Topics will include commodity and food price forecasts, farm income, global agricultural trade, climate change mitigation strategies, and advancements in biotechnology. The event will also feature exhibit booths by various USDA agencies, providing attendees with information on key programs and recent USDA-funded innovations.

The Forum will be held in person at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va., and all sessions will be livestreamed on a virtual platform.

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Video: Canada's Agriculture Day 2025

Let's celebrate Canadian agriculture.

Well, number one, you don't eat without farmers. Farmers put food on the table. And what could be more important than that?

Well, I think it's important that Canadians understand exactly what takes place, what happens to produce this food, no matter what sector you're talking about.

An awful lot of work goes into that. It's important to understand that meat does not come out of a showcase, and milk does not come out of a bottle. It's produced by farmers and hard work.

Canada has the best farmers in the world. And agriculture is vital to Canada.

In 2024, our agriculture and agri-food sector represented $150 billion of Canada's GDP, nearly $100 billion of our exports, and one in nine jobs.

From grains to fruits to dairy and beef, we are truly blessed with an incredible bounty. Having spent my whole life in agriculture, I see so much potential for the sector.

This time last year, I was proud to open our first-ever agriculture and trade office in the Indo-Pacific, the world’s fastest-growing economy, to cement our presence in the region and grow our exports even more. We've also been making historic investments to help our farmers to boost their yields, protect the planet, and earn a fair living.

The world wants more top-quality, sustainable food, and I know our Canadian farmers can deliver. And it's so important that you do that with pride. We need you.

Quite simply, you eat the most top quality food in the world. You do that because of the quality of farmers and ranchers you have in this country.

Just say thank you to a farmer or a rancher. They work very hard, yes, for a living, but also with a sense of pride in what they produce.

That's what Canada's Agriculture Day is all about.