Agronomy and Horticulture IMPACT 2026 Conference

March 3 – 4, 2026
Nebraska Innovation Campus, Lincoln, Nebraska

Agenda Speakers Planning Committee

Why This Conference?

The Department of Agronomy and Horticulture is hosting a showcase and strategy conference to highlight our collective achievements in teaching, research and extension. This event will:

Demonstrate public value of our work for agriculture, the environment, and society.
Showcase innovative and emerging programs aligned with Nebraska’s needs.
Build connections across disciplines and strengthen partnerships with industry, agencies, commodity boards and community stakeholders.
Engage graduate students and highlight their role in advancing innovation.

Together, we will celebrate accomplishments, share ideas and shape the future of agriculture and horticulture in Nebraska and beyond.

Benefits to the Community

Networking opportunities with faculty, students, industry, agencies and stakeholders.
Insights into cutting-edge research and extension programs addressing sustainability, soil health, water quality and crop productivity.
Strategic collaboration opportunities to address current and future challenges.
Direct engagement with advisory board members, policymakers and community leaders.

Agenda

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Nebraska Innovation Campus

6 – 9 pm – Mixer with posters, displays, and demonstrations

6:25 pm – Welcome

6:30 pm – Opening comments from Derek McLean, Dean of Research, Charles Stoltenow, Dean of Extension, and Tom Burkey, CASNR Interim Dean

Coordinator: Anne Streich

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Nebraska Innovation Campus

7:30 – 8:30 am	Check-in, coffee and pastries
	Masters of Ceremonies: Richard Ferguson and Charles Francis, Professors Emeriti
8:30 – 8:45 am	Welcome and Introductions: Speakers: Tiffany Heng-Moss, IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor, and Martha Mamo, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Head
8:45 am – 10:05 am	Interdisciplinary Projects 8:45–9:05 am: Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) Speaker: Chris Proctor, Extension Educator and TAPS Lead, Agronomy and Horticulture 9:05–9:25 am: Teaching and Experiential Learning — Real-World Learning Requires Real-World Partners Speaker: Sam Wortman, Associate Professor, Agronomy and Horticulture 9:25–9:45 am: Data-Driven Digital Agriculture: From Research to Impact Speaker: Guillermo Balboa, Research Assistant Professor, Agronomy and Horticulture 9:45–10:05 am: Agriculture and Human Health Speaker: Aaron Daigh, Associate Professor, Agronomy and Horticulture and Kelli Gribben, Postdoctoral Research Associate, UNMC Session Coordinator: Javed Iqbal
10:05 – 10:15 am	Break
10:15 – 11:15 am	Stakeholder Panel Discussion Zach Hunnicutt, Member, Nebraska Corn Board Brea Hutchcraft, Alliance Development Manager, Bayer Dick Ehrman, Lower Platte South NRD Daniel Moore, Executive Vice President, Kinghorn Gardens Andrew Getty, Golf Course Superintendent, Prairie Club, Valentine, Nebraska Session Coordinator: David Meyer
11:30 am – 1 pm	Lunch and Keynote Address 12:15 pm: Keynote Speaker – Jackson Stansell, Sentinel Ag
1 – 3 pm	Department Focus Area Highlights 1:00–1:20 pm: Forage and Range Speakers: Nic McMillan, Assistant Professor, Dan Uden, Assistant Professor, and Mitch Stephenson, Associate Professor 1:20–1:40 pm: Horticulture and Turfgrass Science Speaker: Terri James, Associate Extension Educator 1:40–2:00 pm: Plant Breeding and Genetics Speaker: Katherine Frels, Assistant Professor 2:00–2:20 pm: Soil and Water Sciences Speakers: Javed Iqbal, Associate Professor, and Carolina Cordova, Assistant Professor 2:20–2:40 pm: Plant Physiology and Crop Production Speaker: Patricio Grassini, Professor 2:40–3:00 pm: Weed Science Speakers: Amit Jhala, Professor, and Milos Zaric, Assistant Professor Session Coordinator: Sam Wortman
3 – 3:10 pm	Break
3:15 – 4:45 pm	Roundtable Discussion with Stakeholder Feedback (Pick 2 of 5 rotating discussions, 40 minutes each) A1 – Workforce Development A2 – AI/Technology/Data A3 – Partnerships and Future Funding B2 – Global Value of Agriculture and Natural Resources (holistic and financial) B3 – Communicating Research Data with Stakeholders Session Coordinators: Jinliang Yang and Javed Iqbal
4:45 – 5 pm	Closing Remarks Speaker: David Holding