Ag News
Join CAES for 2026 Georgia Ag Forecast Seminar
Posted on Dec 17, 2025 at 13:42 PM
By UGA CAES Dean & Director Dr. Nick T. Place
As we look into a new year, I’d like to invite you to the 2026 Georgia Ag Forecast, an opportunity for Georgia’s growers, agribusiness leaders, policymakers and community partners to come together, learn from one another, and prepare for the opportunities and challenges ahead. This event will be held on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the program kicking off at 9 a.m. Lunch will be served at noon.
Georgia agriculture is the backbone of our state’s economy, shaping the lives of millions of Georgians and contributing billions of dollars to our state and its economy. It’s our largest industry, and its complexity continues to grow as market forces, evolving policy issues, and global economic trends intersect with our day-to-day decisions on the farm and in agribusiness. At UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), we believe that informed decision-making starts with trusted insights and timely data, which is exactly what we aim to deliver at Ag Forecast each year.
Our team of agricultural economists and subject matter experts will present the latest market projections, commodity forecasts, and economic outlooks that matter most to those of us deeply invested in Georgia agriculture. Attendees at past seminars have walked away with a clearer view of what the coming year may hold for major commodities, cost pressures such as input prices and labor, and other critical factors that influence production, marketing, and long-term planning.
A highlight of this year’s program will be a legislative panel discussion featuring leaders engaged in agriculture and policy. Last year’s panel brought together voices from both industry and government to explore emerging challenges and opportunities and these candid conversations help bridge the gap between the realities of production agriculture and the policy frameworks that shape our operating environment. Georgia Farm Bureau members bring invaluable perspectives to these discussions because of your connections across the state and your roles as advocates and innovators in rural communities.
We will also announce the 2026 Georgia Farmer of the Year, an award coordinated by UGA Extension. County Extension Agents nominate farmers with outstanding operations, who use sustainable practices on their farm and provide leadership in their community and to Georgia agriculture. The award recipient will represent Georgia in the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program.
The Georgia Ag Forecast is part of our CAES Signature Events series, which are special occasions that spotlight the impactful research, education, and extension work happening at UGA. These gatherings foster collaboration and strengthen ties between academia, industry, and community stakeholders. They also serve as a forum for networking with peers, connecting with UGA faculty and extension professionals, and discovering new resources like the Georgia Ag Impact Report, an innovative, interactive platform that brings agricultural data to life for strategic planning.
Whether you are a producer planning your next crop, an agribusiness professional navigating market uncertainty, or a community leader invested in rural prosperity, the insights shared at the Georgia Ag Forecast will help you make sound decisions for the year ahead. We’ve designed the program to be practical, forward-thinking, and relevant to the full diversity of Georgia’s agricultural landscape.
I look forward to welcoming you in Tifton. Together, we can build stronger, more resilient agricultural enterprises and communities – one guided by data, grounded in experience, and united by our shared commitment to the future of Georgia agriculture.
We have both an in-person and virtual option for attending the Georgia Ag Forecast. Registration for in-person attendance is $25, includes lunch and closes on Jan. 20. Registration to view the livestream of the program is $10. Details about participating in the livestream will be provided to participants after they register. Visit https://agforecast.caes.uga.edu/ to register.
Dean Nick Place has served as dean of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences since Jan. 1, 2021. As dean and director, Place oversees the faculty, staff and programming for CAES with a total of nearly 3,000 employees across the state of Georgia. CAES is a national leader in all things agriculture and environment, seeking creative solutions to complex problems facing the industry today through innovative teaching, research and outreach efforts in Georgia and across the Southeast.
- Categories:
- Tags: