An in-depth analysis of next year’s agricultural outlook for cotton, cattle and grains, along with discussions on lending and the region’s economic outlook highlights the 51st Annual Bankers Agricultural Credit Conference in Lubbock. The meeting runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 15) at Texas Tech University’s International Cultural Center.
“The Bankers Agricultural Credit Conference provides timely information to community banks on the general economic and agricultural commodity outlook to assist them in making decisions in the coming year,” said Phillip Johnson, chair of Texas Tech's Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics. Topics can range from agricultural lending and the economy to legal and regulatory issues, along with a commodity outlook and other issues of interest to rural bankers and lenders. The conference is directed by a board of directors made up of representatives from area banks.
Davis College Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives & Assessment Darren Hudson added that the program has been held at Texas Tech for more than half a century and represents an important engagement with rural and agricultural banks that form the backbone of our regional agricultural productivity.
Among the scheduled morning presentations are Legislative & Regulatory Update | Chris Furlow, President and CEO with Texas Bankers Association in Austin; Agricultural Outlook for Cotton 2025 | Darren Hudson, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives & Assessment; Agricultural Outlook for Cattle 2025 | Ben Weinheimer, President and CEO with Texas Cattle Feeders Association in Amarillo; and Regional & National Economic Outlook | Stephen Kiser, Senior Business Economist with the FDIC in Dallas.
The keynote speaker for a noon luncheon is Hudson, who also serves as Davis College’s International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness and the Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness. Meantime, the afternoon program features Agricultural Property Management | Mike Alderman, Specialty Asset Manager with U.S. Bank, Twin Falls, Idaho. The session closes with Agricultural Outlook for Grains 2025 | Mark Welch, Professor & Extension Economist for Grain Marketing with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, College Station
The Annual Bankers Agricultural Credit Conference is sponsored by the Texas Bankers Association; Independent Bankers Association of Texas; Ag Resource Management – ARM; US Bank; Excellence In Banking Program – Rawls College; Texas Tech School of Banking – Rawls College; Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute; and the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness.
CONTACT: Phillip Johnson, chair and director of the Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-0474 or phil.johnson@ttu.edu
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