2025 Agri-Business Conference Recap
December 31, 2025
| AgFocus-Ag Focus | BusinessFocus-Business Focus
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 Our 2025 Agri-Business Conference was a tremendous success, featuring two keynote speakers who shared invaluable insights on the challenges and opportunities ahead in 2026. Attendees also participated in an interactive, simulated strategic planning session that sparked great ideas and collaboration. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s event. We’re excited to begin planning for the 2026 Agri-Business Conference. From all of us at Security Bank, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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AG CONFERENCE RECAP: THE POWER OF PLANNINGTOGETHER
By: Brandon Baller |Chief Lending Officer/Hartington Branch President
Security Bank was proud to host our recent Ag Conference, bringing together producers, industry professionals, and trusted advisors for a day focused on navigating today’s economic challenges and preparing for the future. With agriculture facing continued uncertainty, the conference emphasized the importance of informed decision-making, collaboration, and proactive planning.
The day featured timely insights from nationally recognized speakers, including Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech, and Jim Jansen, Agricultural Economist and Extension Educator. Attendees gained perspective on economic volatility, farm bill updates, and the broader forces shaping the ag economy—equipping them with practical knowledge they can apply to their own operations.
The conference concluded with a powerful and engaging simulated strategic planning session moderated by Dr. Kohl. This interactive session brought together a banker, CPA, attorney, and insurance and investment advisor to work through a real-world case study that was shared with those in attendance. The goal was simple but impactful: demonstrate what happens when a full team of trusted advisors sits at the same table.
As the simulation unfolded, the audience saw firsthand the value of collaboration and mutual respect among advisors. Each professional was given the opportunity to weigh in on the case based on their area of expertise, highlighting how financial, legal, tax, risk management, and investment considerations intersect. Just as importantly, the session illustrated how unintentionally leaving out a member of the advisory team can result in missed details, overlooked risks, or lost opportunities.
The takeaway was clear: strategic planning is most effective when it is comprehensive and collaborative. When all trusted advisors are involved early and communicate openly, farm families and businesses are better positioned to make confident, well-informed decisions—both today and for the next generation.
At Security Bank, we believe in the power of teamwork and long-term planning. If you would like to experience a strategic planning session similar to the one demonstrated at the conference, we encourage you to reach out to your Security Bank lender. Together, we can help assemble your team of trusted advisors and begin building a plan tailored to your operation, your goals, and your future.