If you are interested in attending the 2026 AAEA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO Free of Charge, please complete this complimentary media registration. You can also learn more on our Annual Meeting Media Kit page. Please keep in mind that no members are authorized to speak on behalf of the association. Any and all quotes and information provided by AAEA members do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or opinions of AAEA.
AAEA expects around 1,400 people to join us in person in Kansas City, MO, July 26- 28, 2026 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. The Annual Meeting is made up of Invited Paper Sessions, Invited Case Study Papers, Organized Symposia, Selected Presentation Lightning Session, Selected Presentation, and Track Sessions.
Invited Paper Sessions are selected by the AAEA President and two additional Board members based on proposals submitted by AAEA members. These sessions are chosen because they may appeal to a broad spectrum of meeting attendees, further the development and dissemination of systematic knowledge in the field of agricultural and applied economics, and/or generate meaningful conversation. Invited Paper sessions generally involve 2-3 paper presentations and ample opportunity for discussion. Invited papers may also be published in the proceedings issue of the Applied Economics Perspectives & Policy.
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Invited Case Study Papers are selected by members of the Case Study Committee based on proposals submitted by AAEA members. Papers presented in this session demonstrate how the application of economics principles to decision making in the public and/or private sectors lead to better decisions. Papers presented in this session may be published in the proceedings issue of the Applied Economics Teaching Resources.
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Organized Symposia are selected by the AAEA President based on proposals submitted by AAEA members. They highlight work-in-progress and involve discussions of policy issues, research methods, emerging research results, teaching or outreach topics, and issues in professional organization. The format of a session may involve paper presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtable meetings, or other formats.
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Selected Presentation Lightning Sessions includes 8 Selected Paper Presentations. Each presenter will have 9-10 minutes to present and discuss their paper.
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Selected Presentations refers collectively to Selected Papers and Selected Posters. Selected Paper Sessions include up to four paper presentations. Each paper presentation is given 20 minutes; 15 minutes to present and five minutes for discussion.
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Track Sessions are a set of multiple sessions submitted by AAEA Sections, scheduled throughout the meeting and devoted to a common interest area or topic. Sessions can be organized by a single Section or by multiple Sections to cover a wider range of topics.
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| Type: | Organized Symposium | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, 12th Street Room | |
| Date | July 27 | |
| Time: | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM |
The United States, and many other countries, issue dietary guidelines that are meant to inform both household consumption patterns as well as other food and nutrition related policies. While these guidelines tend to be promulgated on the basis of our understanding of nutrition, social and economic concerns pose both opportunities and challenges for adherence. Notably, the U.S. government issued new dietary guidelines in January 2026 that are in many ways a departure from the guidance provided over the last forty years. Our expert panel will share their insights and research results on affordability of meeting dietary guidelines. We will begin with brief presentations from our panel members, and then dedicate much of our time to panel and audience discussion.
| Type: | Organized Symposium | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Colonial Ballroom | |
| Date: | July 27 | |
| Time: | 10:00 am - 11:30 am |
Critical minerals have emerged as a cornerstone of the energy transition, as well as of digital and defense technologies. This proposed AERE@AAEA special session brings together four research papers exploring different dimensions of these markets, from production to macroeconomic impacts, taking technological progress and sustainable development into account. Dr. Romani analyzes how raw and processed material markets drive battery price volatility. Prof. Benshaul-Tolonen examines the economy-wide effects of mining activities in host countries through backward linkages. Prof. Ohler investigates the determinants of production costs for jointly produced minerals. Finally, Dr. Al Moinee evaluates alternative fuels used in truck haulage for critical mineral extraction.
| Type: | Organized Symposium | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Colonial Ballroom | |
| Date | July 28 | |
| Time: | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM |
Analysts representing government, academia, and industry will provide insights into key developments shaping major commodity markets. The presenters will also serve as panelists and will comment briefly on common themes as well as divergences in their presentations. Audience participants will be invited to interact directly with the presenters/panelists to ask deeper questions about the wider agricultural market context of the issues raised.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Extension Section (EXT) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Imperial Ballroom | |
| Date: | July 27 | |
| Time: | 10:00 am - 11:30 am |
The policy outlook session will focus on contemporary, federal policy issues affecting agriculture. The presenters will provide insight from their unique perspectives and work for Congress, USDA, and related agencies. The presenters will discuss policy development and implementation addressing current and upcoming policy issues for agriculture as well as the role of economics in the process.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy Section (FAMPS) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Andy Kirk A | |
| Date | July 28 | |
| Time: | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm |
Consumer perceptions and behaviors surrounding meat continue to evolve. This session highlights recent experimental and empirical work examining how information, attitudes, and new data sources shape meat demand and animal welfare policy support. The first paper uses survey experiments to test how information spillovers influence voting on pork production initiatives. The second analyzes recent trends and puzzles in beef demand, exploring behavioral and economic drivers of strong consumption despite high prices. The third presentation shares new results from the Meat Demand Monitor. The final paper integrates experimental demand estimates with online sentiment data to track shifting consumer preferences over time.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Agricultural Innovation and Productivity (AIP) and Institutional and Behavioral Economics Section (IBES) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Julia Lee A | |
| Date: | July 27 | |
| Time: | 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm |
AI-driven innovations have the potential to transform crop management and agricultural product supply methods and improve crop and labor productivity. The incentives for adoption of these innovations will depend on the value they create for consumers and farmers. This session explores the economic and behavioral factors that will motivate adoption and enhance agricultural productivity. The first presentation with focus on consumers’ valuation of AI-enabled grading of the quality of goat meat and their willingness to pay for it using choice experiments and experimental treatments. 2) The second presentation evaluates farmers' willingness to adopt cover cropping induced by the availability of small autonomous robots that can plant cover crops with lower labor intensity and greater cover crop establishment efficiency and potential conventional crop yield benefits. 3) The third presentation compares the economics of robotic weeding technologies with the efficacy of hand weeding on organic onion farms, and evaluates key outcomes including weeding costs, crop yield, and herbicide usage. 4) The fourth presentation focuses on behavioral and economic interventions aimed at enhancing the interaction between farmers and virtual interfaces in the context of pest and weed management practices.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Community and Regional Economics Network (CRENET) and Extension Section (EXT) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Big Joe Turner B | |
| Date: | July 28 | |
| Time: | 10:00 am - 11:30 am |
This session brings together research exploring several issues identified through discussions in rural communities. The first paper investigates how local broadband investments influence local quality of life, providing evidence on the returns to investing in digital infrastructure as a people-centered economic development strategy. The second examines the effects of USDA Section 515 mortgage maturations on local housing supply, highlighting the implications of expiring affordability restrictions on vulnerable communities. The third paper analyzes spatial and temporal patterns in the concentration of legal and accounting services, identifying places where limited access to professional support may hinder entrepreneurship and small business formation. Together, these studies offer an integrated look at some of the diverse issues facing rural communities and open the door for discussion on other priority research areas surfaced through Extension programming.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Sponsored by Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy Section (FAMPS) and Labor Economics Section (LAS) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Julia Lee B | |
| Date: | July 28 | |
| Time: | 10:00 am - 11:30 am |
This session will explore the emerging dynamics and challenges shaping the coffee and cocoa sectors of Latin America. As global markets evolve, the coffee and cocoa value chains face new challenges related to climate change, price volatility, new tariff regimes, sustainability standards, and shifting consumer preferences. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of the issues affecting both sectors and will be able to identify research opportunities that could eventually be translated into actionable strategies to foster more sustainable and competitive coffee and cocoa value chains.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Agribusiness Economics and Management Section (AEM) and Agricultural Finance & Management (AFM) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Andy Kirk A | |
| Date: | July 28 | |
| Time: | 2:45 pm - 4:15 pm |
This track session will focus on timely issues related to farm financial stress and agricultural credit access. This is particularly relevant as the agricultural economy has entered a high-interest-rate environment, combined with high input prices, low commodity prices, and shocks to agricultural trade and labor markets.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Brewing and Enology Economic Research Section (BEER) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Truman B | |
| Date: | July 28 | |
| Time: | 2:45 pm - 4:15 pm |
Alcohol industry leaders and academics will engage in a discussion on the evolving economic landscape of alcoholic craft beverages. Panelists with backgrounds in alcohol production and sales will explore key market trends, shifting consumer preferences, and the impact of federal and state-level alcohol policies on production, distribution, and sales. The objective is to stimulate research, provide insight into opportunities and challenges shaping the industry, and identify opportunities for collaboration among conference attendees and industry.
| Type: | Track Session - Sponsored by Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy Section (FAMPS) and Agribusiness Economics and Management Section (AEM) | |
| Location: | Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Andy Kirk A | |
| Date: | July 28 | |
| Time: | 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm |
This session examines how shocks and decisions across the livestock supply chain shape economic outcomes from production to consumption. It brings together four connected components: 1) how environmental shocks influence livestock productivity and on-farm decisions; 2) how the entire supply chain is impacted by the dynamics of animal health events; 3) how climate stress disrupts slaughter capacity, processing operations, and employment; and 4) how consumers respond to monetary incentives for livestock and dairy products. Together, these four perspectives provide an integrated view of how production shocks, processing constraints, and consumer behavior interact to shape the modern livestock economy.