By Denise Attaway
Policy considerations, natural resources, technology, value-added opportunities and innovations will be discussed during the 2025 South Carolina Agriculture Technology and Business Forum.
The forum is scheduled for March 26 at the Phillips Market Center, 117 Ballard Court. Registration fee is $10. Seating is limited. Pre-registration is requested. Online registration and information are available at South Carolina Ag Tech and Business Forum on Eventbrite.
Kendall Kirk, director of the Clemson University Center for Agricultural Technology, said the forum aims to bring together South Carolina crop and livestock production leaders to discuss current and emerging trends.
“This forum is designed to address challenges and shape the future of the state’s production agriculture,” Kirk said. “It will allow participants to network and learn, and foster collaborative relationships with technology providers, research communities and advocacy groups.”
Forum benefits
The goal of this forum is to provide an opportunity for research institutions to hear from agribusiness stakeholders about the challenges they face so the South Carolina agribusiness community can address them together.
“To confront the challenges facing agribusiness, we have to work together,” said South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “This forum presents an opportunity for the agriculture industry to work with partners in academia and government to assure a bright future for farming in South Carolina.”
Matthew Holt, dean of the Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, said the forum is a great opportunity for people to learn about the latest technologies available for agriculture.
“Fusing agriculture with applications of advanced technologies, such as robotics, remote sensing, drones, and more, will help ensure food security for South Carolinians and beyond,” Holt said. “To ensure our producers have access to cutting-edge technologies, those in farming, academia, government and the private sector need opportunities such as to convene to share information and best practices. The forum provides this unique opportunity.”
Forum panels
Experts from around the country will serve on panels to discuss agricultural policy, natural resources, innovations and value-added and agricultural technology.
Serving on the agricultural policy panel are Joe Outlaw from the Texas A&M University Agricultural and Food Policy Center, Kyle Kunkler of the American Soybean Association and Michael Lalich with Lowcountry Labor LLC.
The natural resources panel will consist of Richard Carr, land manager for the South Carolina Farm Bureau Land Trust; Landrum Weathers, owner of Buck Branch Farms LLC; Danny Kassis, general manager of strategic partnerships and customer solutions for Dominion Energy South Carolina; and Mike Mills, director of sustainability solutions for Reinke Manufacturing.
Serving on the innovations and value-added panel are Fred West, former Amick Farms senior executive and founder of West Resources Consulting Firm; Thomas Hunter, co-president of McCall Farms; and Ben Setzler, farmer and owner of Hi Brau Beef.
The agricultural technology panel includes Rachael Sharp, farm manager for Sharp and Sharp Certified Seed; Ed Barnes, senior director of agricultural and environmental research at Cotton Incorporated; Josh Minor, cotton test lead for John Deere; and Andrew Brooks, business development manager for Cravo Equipment Limited.
Panel moderators are Kirk, Nathan Smith of the Clemson Extension agribusiness team, Ronnie Summers of the Palmetto Agribusiness Council and Robert Etheridge of Mixon Seed Service.
The forum is organized by the Clemson Center for Agricultural Technology, Mixon Seed Service, Palmetto Agribusiness Council, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, South Carolina Farm Bureau and South Carolina State University.
Source : clemson.edu