AI in Agriculture Symposium, hackathons bring together ag, tech leaders Sept. 21
Aug. 27, 2026
By Mollie Pratt
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Free event with virtual and in-person options
- Featuring AI and automation experts from academia and industry
- Two hackathon options for graduate, undergraduate and high school students
(785 words)
Download PHOTOS of the 2025 symposium here
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — From targeted spraying to yield forecasting and robotic harvesting, agricultural researchers and companies are finding ways to use artificial intelligence to improve food production.
Many of these technologies will take center stage at this year’s AI in Agriculture Symposium, being held Sept. 21 at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences. The center
is located at 1371 W. Altheimer Drive in Fayetteville.
The symposium was created to connect agricultural researchers and students with experts in engineering, computer science and data science, said Samuel B. Fernandes, event organizer and assistant professor of agricultural statistics and quantitative genetics with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
“There are a lot of opportunities to apply AI in agriculture,” Fernandes said. “By bringing together people working in agriculture, engineering and data science, we can help address real-world challenges and develop new tools for the future.”
The symposium is hosted by the Center for Agricultural Data Analytics, a part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture. Faculty in the center support university and Division of Agriculture researchers through statistical and data analysis and research collaborations.
There is no cost to attend the event, but registration is required. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, followed by a reception at the conclusion of the event. There is also a virtual option for those who are unable to attend in person.
Symposium schedule and speakers
The symposium will begin at 8 a.m. with opening remarks from Jean-François Meullenet, senior associate vice president for agriculture-research and director of the experiment station. Closing remarks will be given at 4:45 p.m., with a reception from 5-6 p.m.
Symposium presentations will highlight how artificial intelligence is being used in agriculture, including AI-powered robotics for meat processing, precision phenotyping in poultry breeding, remote sensing and crop improvement.
“We have people coming from industry and academia who are doing exciting work in AI and agriculture,” Fernandes said. “It will be a great opportunity for attendees to learn about different applications of these technologies.”
Featured speakers include:
- Leonardo Bastos, assistant professor of integrative precision agriculture at the University of Georgia
- Tim Beissinger, co-founder and chief technology officer for Heritable Agriculture
- Alexander Bucksch, associate professor of plant sciences at the University of Arizona
- Jason Davis, assistant professor in the department of crop, soil, and environmental sciences and a remote sensing and pesticide application extension specialist for the Division of Agriculture
- Arthur F.A. Fernandes, geneticist for Cobb-Vantress
- James Schnable, professor and Nebraska Corn Checkoff Presidential Chair for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- Dongyi Wang, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering with the Division of Agriculture
The afternoon program will also feature lightning talks, providing in-person attendees an opportunity to share their research and ideas. Those interested in presenting can submit an abstract when completing their registration form.
Solve real-world problems at the hackathons
In addition to the symposium, two hackathons will give graduate, undergraduate and high school students the opportunity to work with real-world data and develop solutions to agricultural challenges.
“We give them the data and the problem and tell them to imagine they are working for a big company while coming up with possible solutions,” Fernandes said. “At the end, what wins is the most creative and most efficient team.”
The AI in Ag Hackathon will be held Sept. 18-20 at the David W. Mullins Library on the University of Arkansas campus. The event is a collaboration between the Center for Agricultural Data Analytics, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and Bayer Crop Science.
Participation in the AI in Ag Hackathon is limited to 60 graduate or senior undergraduate students, with priority given to those who have some experience with AI or statistics, such as having taken at least one upper-level or graduate-level course in either area.
Interested students can apply to participate in the AI in Ag Hackathon online. The deadline to apply is Sept. 14.
The LionHogTech Hackathon, open to undergraduate and high school students in Arkansas and Missouri, will be held virtually Sept. 18-20. LionHogTech is a collaboration among the Center for Agricultural Data Analytics, the University of Arkansas College of Engineering and Missouri Southern State University.
Similar to the AI in Ag Hackathon, participants will be given real-world agricultural problems to solve. Participation is limited to 40 students.
To participate, students must complete the LionHogTech Hackathon application before Sept. 16.
Teams will be assembled by competition organizers and will include students from a variety of universities and disciplines. In addition to receiving prizes, the top three teams from the AI in Ag Hackathon and the winning team from the LionHogTechHackathon will present their solutions during the AI in Ag Symposium on Sept. 21.
To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Mollie Pratt
U of A Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
(479) 763-5929
mcpratt@uark.edu