Center for Agriculture and the Economy
Leveraging expertise from the Kansas City Fed, the Center provides timely analysis of industry developments and conducts ongoing research on the agricultural economy.
Agricultural Economic Summit Highlights Key Structural Changes Shaping Agriculture
By Nate Kauffman
Aug. 6, 2026
Industry experts met at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Agricultural Economic Summit to discuss "The Business of Agriculture Amid Structural Change." Participants discussed long-term forces shaping agricultural decision-making, supply behavior, and industry structure. Among Summit participants, the largest share thought that technological innovation would be the single most important structural change likely to affect agriculture in the next 5-to-10 years, with policy and regulation also highlighted frequently. A smaller portion anticipate other factors such as labor, demographic change, consumer preferences, capital requirements, climate, and trade and geopolitics being the most important.
Note: Chart shows responses to the question, “Which of the following is the single most important structural change likely to shape agriculture over the next 5-10 years from the perspective of your business or industry? Select only one.” from about 50 executives and industry experts who participated in the Kansas City Fed’s Food and Agriculture Economic Summit in August 2026.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
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The Kansas City Fed's Continuing Commitment to Agriculture
Through regular surveys, analysis and connections across the industry, the Kansas City Fed has had a longstanding focus on U.S. and global agriculture. Leveraging this expertise, the Center for Agriculture and the Economy serves as a resource within the Federal Reserve System by providing timely analysis of industry developments and conducting ongoing research on the agricultural economy. The Kansas City Fed is committed to understanding developments in the agricultural economy and gathering perspectives from rural America in order to include them in discussions on the national economy.
The Kansas City Fed's Ag Connection
Agriculture is central to the Kansas City Fed’s 10th District’s economy, from farm production and food manufacturing to agricultural banking and finance. Through its regular surveys, analysis and connections across the industry, the Kansas City Fed has had a longstanding focus on the U.S. and global agricultural economy. At the same time, connecting with stakeholders and ag industry professionals through events, round tables and conversations is critical to the Bank’s work.