The U.S. Department of Agriculture annual Agricultural Outlook Forum is scheduled February 19-20 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, Arlington, Virginia. This year’s forum is entitled Smart Agriculture in the 21st Century: A Discussion on Innovation, Biotechnology, and Big Data.
Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture will open the forum. A roundtable discussion on agriculture will include Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack; European Commissioner of Agriculture & Rural Development Phil Hogan; and President of the Council on Foreign Relations Richard N. Haass.
Breakout sessions will include discussions on U.S. food prices and inflation in 2015; the view from the retail grocery industry; and the situation and outlook for the foodservice industry. The forum will also include discussions on international trade, including the driving forces in changing global markets. An income outlook for the U.S. farm sector in 2015 will also be addressed. The forum will include a number of sessions on using data & analytics to make informed decisions and improve productivity.
The full 2-day registration, which includes 2 luncheons, dinner, and all coffee breaks is $450. The full 1-day registration, which includes 1 luncheon and coffee breaks is $350. For future information about the forum and the program, to register, and make hotel reservations, visit www.usda.gov/oce/forum/.
