Call for Proposals for the 2026 Fall Summit
About Minnesota AgriGrowth Annual Fall Summit
Minnesota AgriGrowth’s annual fall summit is the largest convening of the state’s food and farm economy, attracting nearly 300 attendees. The fall summit brings together policymakers, farm and agribusiness leaders, non-profits, researchers, food startups, finance, energy, and logistics experts, among others, to engage in thoughtful conversations that advance food and farming in Minnesota.
The 2026 fall summit will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 3:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Minnesota AgriGrowth is accepting proposals for up to four 45-minute sessions (keynote or panels) during the 2026 Fall Summit. Preference will be given to proposals that align with the key themes outlined, feature diverse perspectives, and/or bring forth compelling speakers or panelists. Only presentations offering thought leadership and non-sales content will be considered. Priority will be given to proposals covering innovative ideas and/or new approaches.
Proposal content should align with at least one of the following themes:
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Proposal content should align with at least one of the following themes
Strong Generational Farms
Minnesota is the land of family farms, but more work is needed to ensure that new and future generations can maintain and grow their farms. Whether it is transitioning to new farming practices and products, creating a financial environment that provides greater economic security for farm families, or developing 21st-century farms that harness technology and data to revolutionize the family farm, it will take a comprehensive approach to ensure Minnesota has strong generational farms.
Advanced, World-Class Processing Facilities
Meat processing, food products, and ingredients have been the foundation of Minnesota’s economy since before statehood. Minnesota is home to more than 700 food products and brands. With technological advances, including automation and AI, Minnesota has an opportunity to support the development of new, state-of-the-art processing facilities that could revolutionize the food, biofuel, and agricultural industries.
Integrated Transportation and Export Infrastructure
Whether via ports, rail, or roadways, Minnesota’s farm and food exports need an efficient and reliable network to move products from the field to processing to market. Along with transportation networks, the need for state-of-the-art centralized logistics hubs, storage facilities and warehouses, reliable energy grids, and technology hubs is essential to ensure successful movement of goods and access to export markets.
Global Research and Innovation Hub
The need for sound science and data has never been more important for Minnesota’s food and farm economy. Whether it is public-sector research from the University of Minnesota or private-sector research driven by commodity organizations and businesses, the need to collaborate through public-private partnerships can help Minnesota regain its global leadership role in research and innovation. These partnerships can ensure we have highly functional food systems and create the next generation of biofuels, agriculture-driven renewable energy, alternative proteins, and biotechnologies.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
Proposals should include:
Submitter name, title, organization, and email
Contact information for all proposed speakers — name, title, organization, and email (Please note: no more than four (4) speakers are allowed per session, including moderator.)
Role, availability, and participation status for October 28:
Proposed - hope to include as a speaker, but the individual is not yet aware of the session.
Invited - individual is aware of the session and has been asked to participate.
Confirmed - individual has agreed to participate in the session if it is accepted.
Proposed session title (15 words or less).
Session summary, including which theme(s) the content covers. (500 words or less)
Proposals must be submitted to Kim Busse (kbusse@agrigrowth.org) by Friday, August 7. All submitters will be notified of final decisions by Friday, August 28, 2026.