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BEYOND the Harvest 2025

The nation’s leading agriculture continuing professional education (CPE) event

When:

December 8-9, 2025

Where:

The Accounting Innovation Center (Country Club Plaza District in Kansas City)

700 W 47th St

Kansas City, MO 64112

Who should attend:

This event is designed for professionals who serve the agriculture industry, including:

  • CPAs and tax professionals specializing in serving agribusiness clients or working in-house for large farming operations
  • Financial advisors and planners working with agricultural operations
  • Ag lenders and consultants looking to deepen their understanding of new policy impacts
  • Estate and succession planning experts navigating generational farm transitions

NASBA sponsored CPE credits available.

Cost:

Early bird discount if paid before November 1: $550.00 (virtual or in-person)

After early bird deadline: $675.00 (virtual or in-person)

What:

The agriculture industry is in the middle of a major transition—one that’s reshaping how farms operate and how their advisors must guide them.

With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), farm operations now have access to expanded bonus depreciation, updated pass-through deductions and changes to long-standing USDA programs like Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC). These updates open the door for fresh planning strategies and more tailored guidance.

That’s why we’re gathering for BEYOND the Harvest 2025—two days dedicated to helping accountants and ag-focused advisors adapt, anticipate and lead. This isn’t about sitting through theory-heavy lectures. It’s about getting the practical knowledge and real-world strategies you can put to work the moment you get back to your desk.

Here’s what’s on the table:

  • Farm-Specific Tax Provisions – How permanent estate tax exemptions and enhanced depreciation rules affect decision-making for farm clients and how to position those changes as an advantage.
  • Policy Impacts on Financial Planning – What $66B in new agricultural investments means for planning, from disaster relief to crop insurance subsidies and how these tools can stabilize operations in unpredictable markets.
  • Real-World Applications – Firsthand stories from professionals who’ve helped clients restructure entities, time equipment purchases and manage multi-entity operations for better tax and operational efficiency.
  • Technology & Advisory Services – How shifting from reactive compliance work to proactive advisory relationships can change the way you serve clients in a sector that’s always riding the edge of volatility.

Whether you work with a family-owned farm that’s been passed down for generations or a large-scale operation covering tens of thousands of acres, this event will help you move past compliance into true partnership—the kind that lasts through market swings, policy changes and harvest cycles.

Agenda

Monday, December 8 | Day One

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Registration & Breakfast

8:45 AM –  9:00 AM: Welcome

9:00 AM –  10:00 AM: Trade, Taxes and Tractors: An Overview of the Issues and Legislation Impacting Kansas Farmers and Ranchers

Presented by: Katie Sawyer, State Director for U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Navigating Agribusiness Turnarounds: In-Court & Out-of-Court Strategies

Presented by: Darryl Myers, CIRA, Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC  & Evan Blum, Managing Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Break

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Technology in Agriculture

Presented by: Brendan Giesick & Barry Lucas, Adams Brown Technology Specialists

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Business and Tax Planning for Succession 

Presented by: Scott Balestrier, Tax Principal, BDO USA, P.C. & Lindsay Heckman, Tax Managing Director, Private Client Service, BDO USA, P.C.

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Break

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Agricultural Bankers Panel

Panelists: Adam Wacker, FCS America | David White, Intrust Bank

5:30 PM: Networking reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Attendees, speakers and sponsors welcome! Sponsored by Xero

Tuesday, December 9 | Day Two

7:30 AM – 8:00 AM: Breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM: Welcome

8:15 AM – 9:45 AM: Farm CPA Report

Presented by: Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA, Speaker, Blogger & Writer

9:45 AM – 10:00 AM: Break

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Farm CPA Report

Presented by: Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA, Speaker, Blogger & Writer

11:30 PM – 12:15 PM: Lunch

12:15 PM – 1:45 PM: Agricultural Law & Taxation

Presented by: Roger McEowen, Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law

1:45 PM – 2:00 PM: Break

12:15 PM – 1:45 PM: Agricultural Law & Taxation

Presented by: Roger McEowen, Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law

Speakers & Panelists

Katie graduated in 2006 from Pittsburg State University with dual bachelor degrees in communications and international studies and earned her masters degree in strategic communication from Purdue University in 2016. She now works full-time off the farm as District Director for U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall. Katie joined the CommonGround™ Kansas program in the summer of 2012. Growing up in an urban environment provided her with a different perspective on farming and agriculture. She enjoys talking about her farm, farming practices and how she and her husband work to create a safe and affordable food supply for people across the world. Katie's area of expertise is in livestock and crop productions, communications and crop technologies. Ag Connections: Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Inman FFA Alumni Association. She also is a guest blogger for the Kansas Beef Council and runs as a member of the council’s Beef Endurance Team.
Katie Sawyer, State Director for U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D.
Darryl Myers, CIRA, is an accomplished professional with expertise in transaction due diligence, business operating models, and capital markets access, including DIP loans and M&A. His contributions are critical in providing essential financial advisory and bankruptcy compliance services to clients. Darryl launched his career in financial services as the equities sales desk manager at Hudson Sloan LLP, a boutique securities brokerage firm in New York. Later, he co-managed an alternative resources fund at Karasel Asset Management LP, a $500 million hedge fund. During his tenure at Karasel, Darryl drove all related local and international capital-raising initiatives. Darryl worked at Investec Bank, a global banking group, advising clients in the high-net-worth private client division on integrated property finance solutions and professional practice finance.
Darryl Myers, CIRA, Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC
Scott Balestrier is a tax principal focusing on expansion and growth. Scott is a seasoned financial executive in both the public and private sector, having served as a CEO for Solomon Edwards Group as well as a managing partner for several professional services firms over the course of his three-decade career in public accounting and consulting, during which over 20 years have been fulfilled at the partner level. Scott’s experience includes tax, risk management, information technology, financial accounting, employee benefits, capital raise, and succession planning. As the managing partner for an international accounting firm, Scott led operations for its Philadelphia, PA tax practice, managing several departments and dozens of employees. Through this high-profile position, he developed and executed top-level strategy with technical resources and industry acumen to bring additional value to clients and colleagues. Scott has been the lead coordinating partner for companies in a wide variety of industries, and has significant experience working with manufacturing and distribution, retail, and financial services companies. He has also facilitated an impressive amount of high-level M&A proceedings, through both professional services firms and his own clients.
Scott Balestrier, Tax Principal, BDO USA, P.C.
Brendan focuses on problem solving and creating solid growth plans for his clients. He supports his clients by building technology plans, managing implementation strategies and gaining trust and buy-in from across the organization with communication and follow through.
Brendan Giesick, Chief Revenue Officer, Adams Brown Technology Specialists
Barry brings extensive experience in technology leadership, having previously served as Director of Information Technology for one of the largest John Deere dealerships in the region. With a strong background in managing complex IT environments, Barry understands how to align technology with business goals to drive efficiency and growth. Barry partners closely with clients to ensure their technology works for them, not against them. His proactive approach emphasizes anticipating challenges, streamlining operations, and keeping clients ahead of the curve with evolving technology. Barry’s collaborative style and focus on practical solutions make him a trusted advisor to businesses seeking to maximize the value of their IT investments.
Barry Lucas, Business Relationship Manager, Adams Brown Technology Specialists
Paul is the primary author of the FarmCPAReport.com blog, writes a column and does a podcast for Top Producer. He also provides tax education services for CPAs and other tax preparers annually. Paul is recognized as a national speaker on many topics related to farm businesses such as income and estate tax planning, Farm Service Agency planning and many other topics. Paul grew up on a farm in Southeastern Washington and currently farms in Iowa, Missouri and Washington. He enjoys getting as much combine therapy as he can.
Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA, Speaker, Blogger & Writer
Roger McEowen is the Kansas Farm Bureau Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, KS. Roger focuses on legal and tax issues that agricultural producers, agricultural businesses, and rural landowners face. He teaches an undergraduate course in agricultural law at Kansas State University in addition to agricultural law and tax courses at the law school.
Roger McEowen, Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law
Evan Blum is a Managing Director with BDO where he provides financial advisory, interim management and turnaround consulting services. He brings more than 25 years of experience representing clients on restructuring matters on a nation-wide basis. He is known for taking a hands-on approach to issues and resolving complex cases creatively. Mr. Blum represents management teams, lenders and other stakeholders in situations requiring operational and financial restructuring services. He has managed liquidity and business plan issues, as well as negotiated complex balance sheet restructurings and recapitalizations. He focuses on middle market assignments across a range of industries, including agribusiness, coal, media, retail, telecommunications, distribution, leasing, grocery, real estate/hospitality, building products, and construction.
Evan Blum, Managing Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC
Adam Wacker is a Vice President of Credit for Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America. Over the past 17 years Adam has served in different underwriting roles for those organizations analyzing agricultural credit needs from commercial cattle feedlots to individual row crop producers to agribusinesses. He currently leads a team of credit underwriters who are charged with loan underwriting needs of farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness across the company’s eight Midwest state service area. Prior to joining the farm credit system he was a Safety & Soundness Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Adam grew up on a farm and ranch in the high plains of western Nebraska where his passion for agricultures stems and received his B.S. in Agricultural Business and Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Adam Wacker, Vice President of Credit for Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America
Accounting is about more than numbers to Bill Glazner. It's always been about helping people build stronger businesses. Bill works closely with clients to help them make confident decisions, navigate growth and solve challenges with clarity and purpose. He advises clients on all aspects of their business from financial planning and operations to leadership and long-term strategy. With more than 35 years of experience, Bill has seen what works and what doesn’t and he uses that insight to help clients avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities.
Bill Glazner, CPA, Principal, Agriculture Industry Leader, Adams Brown
David White is a seasoned professional in the banking and finance industry, currently serving as a Senior Commercial Relationship Manager in Commodities and Correspondent Banking at INTRUST Bank since October 2013. With a solid foundation in correspondent banking and agribusiness lending, David has progressed through various roles including Commercial Relationship Manager and Senior Commercial Analyst. Prior experience encompasses positions as a Risk Analyst at CoBank and U.S. AgBank, as well as internships focused on credit and quality assurance. David holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Fort Hays State University and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics with a focus on Agricultural Communications and Journalism from Kansas State University.
David White, Senior Commercial Relationship Manager in Commodities & Correspondent Banking, INTRUST Bank
Lindsay brings over 19 years of tax and accounting expertise, gained through her work in both public accounting and as an in-house corporate tax professional. She specializes in advising complex pass-through entities—including partnerships and S corporations—and high-net-worth individuals. Lindsay has a deep background in tax planning, compliance, and consulting for pass-through clients, with significant experience across professional services, financial services, manufacturing and packaging, and real estate/construction industries. In addition to her work with pass-through entities, Lindsay has extensive experience serving high-net-worth individuals and their estates, providing strategic tax planning to help business owners mitigate tax liabilities and identify income tax planning opportunities for estates. Her professional strengths include federal tax research, implementation of law changes, income tax planning and compliance, accounting system implementations, and managing a variety of special projects.
Lindsay Heckman, Tax Managing Director, Private Client Service, BDO USA, P.C.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Xero
BDO Alliance