Press Release

IRMI’s Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference in Sacramento Highlights Industry Trends

Dallas, TX, May 3, 2018—International Risk Management Institute, Inc. (IRMI), held one of its 2018 IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference (AgriCon) on May 1–2, 2018, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Sacramento, California.

Attended by more than 400 agribusiness risk management and insurance professionals, the conference offered a forum where agents, brokers, underwriters, and insurance buyers shared their expertise, expanded their networks, and discussed best practices with industry peers.

This year’s conference featured new topics pertinent to today’s ever-changing agricultural business environment, such as emerging trends in food safety, craft brewing, and emergency preparedness and disaster planning.

"The overall theme was Trends in Agribusiness," said Cheryl Koch, CPCU, CIC, ARM, AAI, API, AAM, AIM, AIS, ARP, ACSR, president and CEO of Agency Management Resource Group, and a founding member of AgriCon."

One featured session was a panel that discussed the need to recruit, train, and retain top talent to replace the hundreds of thousands of people who will be exiting the industry in the next few years, the use of data and analytics in underwriting farm and agribusiness accounts, and the continuing need to solidify relationships between policyholders, agents and brokers, and insurers," she said.

Another new feature introduced this year was the "Farmers Market Exchange," a series of short, interactive discussions about what the future holds for agribusiness insurance and risk management programs geared toward providing attendees with practical tips that they can apply as new issues arise.

Participants also had the opportunity to attend classes to earn or renew their Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS^®) certification. This credential, heldby more than 3,000 AFIS designees nationwide, certifies that the recipient has the specialized knowledge that they need to properly insure the unique exposures of farms and agribusinesses and signifies their dedication to the industry.

IRMI will hold two additional AgriCon events later this year in Indianapolis(June 6–7) and Des Moines (September 18–19). To learn more or to register, visit the AgriCon page.