Webinars

Building a Brand You Wear on Your Sleeve 

January 21, 2026 
12:00 p.m. CST

In today’s competitive agricultural market, building a strong brand goes beyond logos and taglines—it’s about creating an identity that resonates with your customers and reflects your core values. This webinar will explore the strategies behind crafting a brand that feels authentic and meaningful, both within your business and with your audience. From establishing your brand’s voice to aligning it with your team’s values, we’ll cover how to build a brand that people not only recognize but trust. Attendees will learn how to wear their brand proudly, making it a part of their daily operations, decisions, and customer interactions. 

Key Takeaways:

• Brand Visibility Starts with You: Building a brand that people resonate with is not just about how you market it externally but also about creating authentic connections within your network. The more visible and active your brand is on social media, the more people will recognize and trust it. 

• The Power of Community: Your brand doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s about building connections and relationships, both within your industry and with customers. Following and supporting each other’s brands can amplify collective success. 

• Social Proof Drives Trust: See how real-life examples and the use of hashtags to share moments builds social proof can grow your brand through authentic engagement. The case studies of success presented can inspire to take immediate action. 

About the Speaker

Robin Walters
Partner
Aggregate LLC

Raised in the heart of the corn-belt, Robin Walters dedicated her career to agriculture, starting from detasseling corn in her teens to earning an accelerated degree in Industrial Technology. With a passion for engineering and manufacturing in the soybean capital, she has thrived as a full-time Agvocate, blending marcom expertise with extensive industry experience. From navigating budget cuts to driving exponential revenue growth through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, Walters brings a hands-on approach grounded in data-driven decisions.

February 10, 2026 
12:00 p.m. CST

Bucket elevators play a vital role in industries handling bulk materials, yet they remain one of the most frequent sources of combustible dust explosions. This webinar explores the latest safety practices and NFPA 660 requirements for identifying, mitigating, and protecting against explosion hazards in bucket elevators. Participants will gain insight into hazard identification, Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA), ignition control, and explosion venting, suppression, and isolation technologies. Learn how to design safer systems, improve compliance, and protect both personnel and assets from catastrophic loss. 

Key Takeaways:

• Bucket Elevators: Critical Equipment and Inherent Risks 
  Understanding why bucket elevators present a high combustible dust explosion risk in an agricultural facility. 
• Combustible Dust Explosion Hazards in Bucket Elevators 
  Identifying common ignition sources, operating conditions, and scenarios that lead to primary and secondary explosions. 
• Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) and NFPA 660 Overview 
  How DHAs are performed and how NFPA 660 establishes unified requirements for managing combustible dust risks. 
• Explosion Prevention and Ignition Control Strategies 
  Practical methods for reducing explosion likelihood through monitoring, housekeeping, maintenance, and training. 
• Explosion Protection Solutions: Venting, Suppression, and Isolation 
  When and how to apply explosion protection technologies to limit damage, prevent propagation, and protect personnel and assets. 

About the Speaker

Christian Carey
Design Engineering Manager
IEP Technologies – Marlborough, MA

Christian specializes in the design and implementation of explosion prevention and protection systems. With 10 years at IEP Technologies, including the last five leading the system design team, he applies both prescriptive and performance-based solutions in accordance with NFPA standards for combustible dust and flammable vapor hazards across various industries.

Traceability Without the Guesswork: A Practical Look for Grain Operations 

March 25, 2026 
12:00 p.m. CST

With an increasing emphasis on traceability, grain elevators and processors are navigating evolving expectations tied to regulatory programs. This webinar provides a practical, high-level overview of traceability requirements in the grain and grain processing industries and the real-world tools being used today. This session will break down expectations, address common uncertainties, and share examples of how grain operations can prepare now and build confidence heading into future crop years. 

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the Requirements 
  What’s mandatory vs. voluntary, how 45Z and LCFS impact ethanol markets, and where audit responsibility and documentation requirements typically fall. 
• The Elevator’s Role in Traceability 
  How grain elevators and those who move grain fit into the traceability chain, and why their role matters more than ever. 
• Audits, Documentation, and Risk 
  What an audit looks like from a practical perspective, where uncertainty often creates hesitation, and how to reduce fear by understanding expectations. 
• Tools & Solutions Available Today 
  An overview of existing traceability tools, software solutions, and third-party options—plus how they work in real operations. 
• Preparing for What’s Next 
  Why starting traceability efforts now is valuable practice, how phased approaches can help, and what readiness looks like across farmers, elevators, processors, and equipment providers. 

About the Speakers

Kari Buttenhoff
Partner
Christianson CPAs & Consultants

Kari Buttenhoff, CPA, is a Partner at Christianson CPAs & Consultants and a recognized leader in the advancement of agriculture and renewable fuels. A Certified Public Accountant, Kari brings nearly two decades of technical expertise and practical experience to her work supporting farmers, producers and rural businesses as they navigate the evolving landscape of state, federal and international renewable fuel regulations. She received her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from St. Cloud State University.