For today’s retail agronomists and crop consultants, the modern farming landscape is defined by a relentless balancing act. Between tightening profit margins, fluctuating global supply chains, and evolving regulatory expectations, the pressure to deliver practical, data-backed guidance has never been higher.
To help advisors turn operational complexity into clear, actionable strategies, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is bringing its premier Agronomy Conference and Expo to downtown Indianapolis from August 24 through August 26. Hosted at the Marriott, the event is specifically tailored to put front-line agricultural professionals in the driver’s seat as they prepare their grower customers for the fall season and beyond.
Connecting the Frontline of Ag Retail
According to TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch, the core mission of the conference is to support the people who interact with growers on a daily basis.
“We’re really excited to be back in Indy. This will be our second year in Indianapolis, and it’s a great opportunity for retail agronomists to gather and learn,” Rosenbusch says. “The retail agronomist is the frontline of the industry. They are the trusted advisor of the farmer, and we will have 70-plus retail agronomists there at the Marriott that will be able to talk about what the issues they’re dealing with as they have conversations daily with growers.”
Rosenbusch emphasizes that because these advisors are out in the field every single day, TFI structures the event explicitly around member service, treating ag retail as the heartbeat of the broader agricultural sector.
“The Fertilizer Institute represents a wide variety of companies,” Rosenbusch explains. “We have manufacturers, but we also have importers and wholesalers and distributors and retail. And retail’s a significant part of our membership and I would say a very important part of our membership.”
Tackling Economics and Efficiency
With input costs remaining elevated and the broader farm economy under pressure, efficiency is vital for every single acre. The 2026 agenda dives deep into the economics of crop inputs, highlighting the foundational role of nutrient stewardship.
“We always try to do what we call a 4R field day—the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship are a big focus, applying fertilizer at the right source, rate, time, and place,” Rosenbusch notes. “And that’s especially an important element right now when input costs are elevated and the farm economy is really challenged, so you want to be efficient with every penny you’re spending on crop inputs.”
To assist agronomists in cutting through the noise, the conference agenda features high-level technical sessions—ranging from sulfur return-on-investment and enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) to biostimulant science and spray drone calibration.
Visionary Leadership and Global Realities
Navigating today’s fertilizer markets also requires a firm grasp of macroeconomics and international supply chains. Rosenbusch points out that understanding how global disruptions impact local fields is a constant challenge for advisers who specialize in agronomy rather than economics.
“We know that it is really difficult to understand these supply chains,” Rosenbusch says. “You’ve got product coming from all over the world; slight disruptions such as the Strait of Hormuz can impact a grower in Indianapolis. And so those are some of the things that we’re going to talk about, but also make sure that our sales agronomists know how to talk about them as well.”
To help frame these challenges, the event kicks off with a keynote and interactive fireside chat featuring CHS executive Gary Halvorson, focusing on the future of ag retail and how market realities influence on-farm decision-making.
“We think having those executives cast a vision of what the future of the industry looks like is a great way to start the event,” Rosenbusch says. “He and I will have a bit of a fireside chat where we will get into a lot of the issues around some of the market challenges, both in terms of farm economics, but also some of the fertilizer market challenges we have.”
Hands-On Innovation at Purdue University
Beyond the ballroom, attendees will take part in a comprehensive field tour on August 26th at Purdue University research sites and the Purdue Diagnostic Training & Research Center. Advisors will witness live demonstrations of conservation tillage, strip-till systems (featuring the PlotWarrior), advanced variable-rate application technology, Y-Drops, and pulse-width modulation aerial systems like the AirTractor and precision agricultural drones.
Register Today
Qualified retail and agronomy leaders can attend the event on a complimentary basis. To turn complexity into clear, practical guidance your growers can use this season, visit TFI.org/events and use the promo code HOOSIER to secure your complimentary registration.
CLICK BELOW for Hoosier Ag Today’s radio news report:
