Conservation in Action Tour

Yes, we’ll probably have a soil pit and an equipment demo, but the overwhelming value is understanding the “why” behind the “what” farmers do. With multiple farm stops and additional producer perspectives woven into the 30+ field talks and presentations, you’ll get a broader understanding of what motivates farmers, how they measure profitability, and how they overcome perceived and real challenges to implementing or expanding management practices at scale. The Tour also incorporates farm-adjacent VIP tours to see how value chains support producers in demand creation, logistics, risk management, research, and advisory services. Did we mention the food? Our opening banquet and keynote presentation is a kickoff to a two-day celebration of conservation agriculture, complete with a locally sourced, sustainably produced menu that you won’t forget. 

Sustainability professionals from the food and agriculture value chain, farmers, ranchers, researchers, farm advisers, implementing organizations, policymakers, and the retail channel create a multidisciplinary community with a shared mission of supporting producers in their transition to sustainable agriculture systems. Attendees are immersed in expertise at every touch point and gain insights from sectors that might not be part of their regular work. Ample networking opportunities range from formal banquets to bus rides with new acquaintances and old friends. About 4 in 10 attendees in 2025 had attended previous CIA Tours, and 87% said they are considering attending again. See our prospectus for a complete breakdown of attendee titles, sectors, and participating companies.

The Tour rotates every year to examine different production systems and illustrate how producers in different geographies have unique challenges and opportunities to maintain sustainable practices. We’ve seen sugarcane harvesting in Florida, aerial seeding demonstrations in Illinois, wheat processing in Michigan, and livestock grazing in Idaho, as well as large Midwest operations that feature diverse rotations, cover crops, and conservation tillage. We’ve visited farms in watersheds as big as the Chesapeake Bay and the Mississippi Delta and as small, but no less important, as the Indian Creek (Illinois) Watershed. This, in part, is what gives the Tour its track record of being a national platform with a dedicated repeat audience from many different sectors of agriculture. You’ll see innovative farming that bolsters communities, embraces unique ecosystems, and drives productive and profitable production systems.