2025 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum explores possible impacts of second Trump presidency on ag
The 2025 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum, which has the theme “Wisconsin Agriculture Under a Second Trump Presidency,” is set for Tuesday, Jan. 21 on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The in-person event runs from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Varsity Hall in Union South, located at 1308 West Dayton Street, Madison. A reception will be held following the forum.
The program, organized by the Renk Agribusiness Institute, starts with presentations about the status of Wisconsin’s farm economy. Experts from the UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UW–Madison Division of Extension and industry will discuss the current situation and outlook for dairy, livestock, grain and farm income, as well as key findings from the newly-released The Contribution of Agriculture to the Wisconsin Economy report.
The afternoon session will explore what the change in the presidential administration could mean for Wisconsin agriculture, featuring two panel discussions with academic and industry experts. The first panel will focus on macro-scale markets and trade, and the second on more local-scale farms and communities. Panelists will cover pertinent topics such as tariffs and trade wars; deportations and agricultural labor; bioenergy policies; pesticide regulations; conservation programs; and the next Farm Bill. The goal of the afternoon program is to help attendees better understand and prepare for shifts in policies and programs that may occur with the new administration.
The afternoon session includes time for discussion and questions. A reception will follow the forum in order to provide time to continue valuable discussions.
Registration is open now through Jan. 17. The $75 registration fee covers the forum, lunch, snacks and reception. A reserved parking spot for the day of the forum can be purchased during registration for $20 and must be done prior to Jan. 3 to allow for processing. To register, visit: https://renk.aae.wisc.edu/2025-agricultural-outlook-forum/.
Interested individuals who are unable to attend the forum in-person will have the option to watch a livestream of the event on the Renk Agribusiness Institute’s YouTube page. No registration is required for this free, virtual option.
For questions, send a message to agforum@union.wisc.edu.