| IN CASE YOU MISSED IT |
MIDWEST Agriculture Summit
INNOVATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
T
he 2025 Midwest Ag Summit opened with purpose and momentum, united in a shared goal to elevate the future of agriculture by exploring the interconnected systems that shape it. With AgCountry Farm Credit Services as a premier sponsor, we welcomed hundreds of attendees for a day of honest, solution-focused conversations on workforce, trade, transportation, innovation and policy. Global leaders across agriculture, logistics and policy gathered at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds Butler Machinery Building to talk about moving agriculture forward. From the ground to the global market, every voice echoed the same message: agriculture doesn’t stand alone. It’s connected to infrastructure, workforce, technology, and trade—and it’s time to act boldly.
FEDERAL POLICY AND GLOBAL REACH FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSIONER DANIEL MAFFEI kicked off the Summit with a
candid keynote discussion about how evolving federal shipping policies are shaping agricultural trade. One of just five commissioners leading the independent federal agency that regulates international ocean transportation, Maffei brought a rare, inside-the-Beltway perspective to the Midwest.
In conversation with moderator and LOCAL AGRICULTURAL STRATEGIST STEVE OLSON,
Maffei emphasized that agricultural competitiveness relies on infrastructure and federal collaboration. “If we can’t get your product out, we can’t be the most generous country we can be,” he said. Topics ranged from tariff impacts and the Jones Act to rural port access and international competitiveness. He urged attendees to explore FMC. gov for more resources and stressed the importance of bipartisan service in these complex times.
Daniel Maffei
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INNOVATIONS IN TRANSPORTATION Innovation is already rewriting the rules of agricultural transportation and the Midwest Ag Summit panel featuring KATE FERGUSON, DIRECTOR OF
TRADE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT THE DULUTH SEAWAY PORT AUTHORITY; AMY MCBETH, REGIONAL ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT THE BNSF RAILWAY; AND MIKE METZGER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE; made that crystal clear.
From autonomous trucks logging millions of miles to rail systems deploying AI for predictive maintenance, the future of freight isn’t far off—it’s here. Ferguson underscored the critical role of modern port and inland infrastructure, highlighting advancements like hands-free mooring systems that improve not just safety, but also speed and costefficiency. McBeth spotlighted BNSF’s 4,000+ wayside detectors and AI-powered tools that identify potential issues before they become failures, dramatically improving safety and reliability across the rail network. Yet amid all this progress, the message was clear: technology alone isn’t enough. To truly scale innovation and strengthen supply chains, the sector needs strategic coordination and smart public policy.
Steve Olson, Amy McBeth, Mike Metzger and Kate Ferguson THE BRIDGE July - August 2025