The 2025 South Carolina Agriculture Technology and Business Forum, scheduled for March 26 at the Phillips Market Center in Columbia, is set to be a pivotal event for the state’s agricultural community. This gathering will bring together key stakeholders to discuss a range of critical topics, including policy considerations, natural resources, technology, value-added opportunities, and innovations. The forum aims to address the challenges and opportunities facing South Carolina’s production agriculture, fostering collaborative relationships among technology providers, research communities, and advocacy groups.
Kendall Kirk, director of the Clemson University Center for Agricultural Technology, emphasized the forum’s role in shaping the future of the state’s agricultural sector. “This forum is designed to address challenges and shape the future of the state’s production agriculture,” Kirk said. “It will allow participants to network and learn, and foster collaborative relationships with technology providers, research communities and advocacy groups.”
The forum will provide a platform for research institutions to engage with agribusiness stakeholders, identifying and addressing the challenges they face. South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers highlighted the importance of collaboration in confronting these challenges. “To confront the challenges facing agribusiness, we have to work together,” Weathers said. “This forum presents an opportunity for the agriculture industry to work with partners in academia and government to assure a bright future for farming in South Carolina.”
Matthew Holt, dean of the Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, noted the significance of advanced technologies in ensuring food security. “Fusing agriculture with applications of advanced technologies, such as robotics, remote sensing, drones, and more, will help ensure food security for South Carolinians and beyond,” Holt said. “To ensure our producers have access to cutting-edge technologies, those in farming, academia, government and the private sector need opportunities such as to convene to share information and best practices. The forum provides this unique opportunity.”
The forum will feature panels of experts discussing agricultural policy, natural resources, innovations, value-added opportunities, and agricultural technology. Notable panelists include Joe Outlaw from the Texas A&M University Agricultural and Food Policy Center, Richard Carr, land manager for the South Carolina Farm Bureau Land Trust, and Fred West, former Amick Farms senior executive and founder of West Resources Consulting Firm. The panels will be moderated by industry leaders, including Kirk, Nathan Smith of the Clemson Extension agribusiness team, and Ronnie Summers of the Palmetto Agribusiness Council.
The event is organized by a consortium of key organizations, including the Clemson Center for Agricultural Technology, Mixon Seed Service, Palmetto Agribusiness Council, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, South Carolina Farm Bureau, and South Carolina State University. The forum’s interdisciplinary approach promises to provide valuable insights and foster meaningful discussions that will drive the future of agriculture in South Carolina.
