(L-R) Andy Evans, Rocking E Feeders; Tyler Woolfolk, Woolfolk Ranch LLC; moderator Brad Zimmerman, Farmers Bank & Trust (L-R) Co-moderator J.W. Wells, Kansas Bankers Association; Dan Fischer, USDA Rural Development; Brad Zaun, U.S. Small Business Administration; co-moderator Greg Saville, First National Bank & Trust (L-R) J.W. Wells, Kansas Bankers Association; Julie Voelker, Solutions North Bank; Brett Wicker, Central National Bank; Jill Zimmerman, Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program; Stephen Hendrickson, Citizens State Bank of Marysville; Brad Zimmerman, Farmers Bank & Trust; Doug Wareham, Kansas Bankers Association 2026 KANSAS AG BANKERS CONFERENCE March 4-5 — Manhattan, KS The 2026 Kansas Ag Bankers Conference brought over 300 bankers, sponsors and special guests together in Manhattan, Kansas, to explore the current landscape of agricultural banking, the ag economy and other areas that impact agriculture and rural Kansas. Dr. David Kohl, Virginia Tech, kicked off the conference by speaking on the global economy and financial tools ag lenders can utilize. During lunch, Doug Wareham, KBA President & CEO, and Ed Elfmann, ABA SVP — Agricultural & Rural Banking Policy, shared updates and progress on the Farm Bill and the ACRE Act implementation. In the breakout sessions, the Small Feedyard Marketing & Finance Needs panel, featuring Andy Evans and Tyler Woolfolk, addressed navigating cattle market volatility and the unique challenges of operating smaller to mid-size feedyards. Additionally, Brad Zaun with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Dan Fischer with USDA Rural Development shared opportunities for banks to utilize business loans and grants to strengthen rural Kansas. Following the breakout sessions, KBA Legal Services Director Jamie Cosgrove and First Assistant Attorney General Nathaniel (Jake) Castillo emphasized the risk of financial fraud in the banking industry and spoke on strategies to mitigate it in banks. Keynote speaker Zach Arend challenged attendees to saddle up and enter the arena to face their challenges and make a lasting impact on their life and work. Kicking off Day 2 of the conference, Randy Blach with CattleFax explained the supply and demand in protein markets and what bankers need to factor in when planning for the future. Justin Trompke with Ag West Commodities followed and went in-depth on the grain markets and highlighted future market opportunities for producers to capitalize on. Closing out the conference, Eric Snodgrass with Nutrien Ag Solutions highlighted the weather patterns ag producers saw last year and shared his prediction for what’s ahead. Jamie Cosgrove, Kansas Bankers Association, and Nathaniel Castillo, Office of Attorney General Kris Kobach 16
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