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Aug. 10, 2026
Source: DeepRoots Strategies sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture DES MOINES, Iowa - After years of speculation about artificial intelligence's potential in agriculture, the industry has quietly crossed a threshold. The question is no longer whether AI will matter to ag retail -- it's how to make it matter. And according to a group of agribusiness leaders who gathered here July 20-22 at Tech Hub LIVE 2026, that answer has less to do with technology and everything to do with workflow. "The organizations creating the most value with AI aren't simply adopting new technology -- they're changing how they work," said Tami Craig Schilling, founder-adviser of DeepRoot Strategies LLC, who led a morning workshop at the conference. "Farmers don't buy technology. They buy confidence." Schilling was joined by Ben Sloan, vice president of transportation management at Ever.Ag, and Mike Roudi, co-founder and CEO of Emergent Connext, in a session that drew ag retail leaders and a handful of AgTech startups from across the industry. The workshop, part of the AI pre-conference spearheaded by Meister Media Worldwide's Amy Reddington, show director, explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping ag retail operations -- and where early adopters are already seeing returns. Three Themes Emerged Sloan challenged attendees to reframe their approach to AI adoption. "Stop asking, 'What AI should I use?' and start asking, 'What's slowing my people down?'" Sloan said. "Make the list. Prioritize it. Automate one workflow. Improve it. Repeat." Roudi emphasized that AI cannot fix broken processes. Agriculture remains "incredibly analog," he noted, creating significant opportunities to capture passive data, recognize patterns humans cannot see and automate workflows that free people to focus on higher-value work. For more information visit DeepRootStrategies.com Schilling's session focused on decision-making as the true product of AI. She said AI earns trust when it consistently helps agronomists deliver better recommendations, retailers scale their expertise and farmers make better decisions. Scaling Relationships, Not Replacing Them The three speakers converged on a central message: AI does not replace relationships -- it scales them. It does not replace expertise -- it amplifies it. And it does not replace people -- it allows them to create more value. "The winners won't be the organizations with the most AI," Schilling said. "They'll be the organizations that combine great people, disciplined processes, trusted data and intelligent automation to serve farmers better than ever before." Conference Draws Hundreds Tech Hub LIVE 2026, now in its fifth year, drew more than 500 attendees to the Iowa Events Center. The conference featured more than 60 speakers and 50 exhibitors, with sessions focused on practical technology adoption in the retail channel. About DeepRoot Strategies DeepRoot Strategies LLC is an agricultural public relations and strategic consulting firm specializing in agtech, AI adoption and digital innovation. The firm helps agribusinesses bridge the gap between technology and on-farm value creation. Schilling, a former Bayer Crop Science executive with 35 years in agriculture, founded DeepRoot Strategies to help bridge agriculture, technology and farmer needs. The firm provides strategic counsel on AI and digital innovation for agribusinesses.
Participants discussed real-world opportunities and implementation challenges for artificial intelligence in ag retail during the Tech Hub LIVE "AI That Actually Works" pre-conference workshop. Tweet |
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