Nominations Open for ’40 Under Forty’ Agriculture Awards

The FARMCON event being held Jan. 7 and 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri, is going to recognize farmers, entrepreneurs, and agribusiness professionals through its 40 Under Forty Awards. Nominations are open now and can be made at this link.

Whether it’s creating new market opportunities, launching game-changing ag-tech, or transforming the rural landscape, the selected honorees are the kind of role models who are already making a difference. Nominees are those uniquely positioned to lead the new era of American agriculture, where tradition meets innovation, and the future is rooted in resilience, driven by technology and powered by unwavering optimism and commitment, the organization said.

One individual from the nominees will officially be named the 2026 FARMCON Ag Leader of the Year.

Nominations of innovators younger than 40 can be made by organizations, associations, individuals, and companies — though people can self-nominate as well.

Honorees should demonstrate excellence in areas such as:

• Launching transformative products or platforms in agriculture
• Leveraging emerging technology to solve critical ag challenges
• Putting agricultural innovation into action in their farming operations
• Growing rural economies and empowering rural communities
• Becoming thought leaders who influence policy, sustainability, or societal aspects of agriculture.

“We’re putting a well-deserved spotlight on the men and women poised to lead American agriculture into a new rural renaissance, from soil to services to software,” said Kevin Van Trump, Founder of FARMCON. “These are the farmers, innovators and entrepreneurs stepping forward with relentless enthusiasm toward a brighter agriculture, one that blends ag-tech, ingenuity, and the work ethic and optimism that has always driven the spirit of rural America, our farms, and our communities.”

FARMCON — billed as the Conference for Creative Minds in Agriculture — will feature two days of practical workshops, keynotes, and off-the-record conversations. From labor challenges and breakthrough innovations to input efficiency and next-level risk management, participants will be given the opportunity to make connections, gain clarity on key topics, and more confidently engage with the agricultural sector.

Current featured speakers include Zack Kass with ChatGPT; Erika Ayers Badan, the former CEO of Barstool Sports; Peter Mallouk, CEO at Creative Planning; and Gary Lezak, CEO of Weather 20/20. There will also be panelist from the National Milk Producers Federation, Kronus, Nutrien, and Global Ag Protein.