As farmers face tightening margins, rising input costs, and ongoing market uncertainty, a new seminar at this year’s Farmfest will deliver practical tools to help producers strengthen their operations and plan ahead.

Titled “Profit Roadmap: Practical Tools for Navigating Tight Farm Economics,” the interactive session will take place from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4 and Thursday, Aug. 6 in the Music and Entertainment Tent at Farmfest.

Farmfest visitors can take a break from browsing the booths and step into the past at the Gilfillan Estate, just outside Farmfest gates.

This historic home of Charles Duncan Gilfillan, manicured gardens and antique-filled outbuildings will be open for tours. Tall trees on the lawn provide shade for those enjoying live music and root beer floats.

Farm Bureau Financial Services has a full schedule at Farmfest.

The Farm Bureau Hub at booth 7 on the north end of the show grounds will be the spot for speakers on timely topics, live music and porkchops on a stick, served by the Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture.

For a second year, Farmfest visitors can show off their skills behind the controls during a skid steer rodeo, set for Aug. 4 and 5 at 1:30 p.m., and Aug. 6 at 11 a.m.

Sanco Equipment will be bringing a machine again this year. Sales manager Andy McKinney said the event is a great idea.

This year at Farmfest, adults can get in on the pedal pull fun, testing their strength and enjoying a bit of friendly competition and maybe some bragging rights.

A company new to Farmfest, DeVos Pedal Pulls of Lynd, Minnesota, will be putting on a competition for both kids and adults during the annual farm show, which is set for Aug. 4-6 at Gilfillan Estates outside of Morgan, Minnesota.

Five finalists for the 2026 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year Award have been narrowed to one, and the winner will be announced during the final day of Farmfest.

This is the seventh year Farmfest organizers IDEAg Group will present the award.

 This year could be the biggest year yet for candidate forums at Minnesota Farmfest, featuring four candidate forums during the event on Aug. 4, 5 and 6 at the Gillfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

In every even numbered year since 1990, Minnesota Farmfest has featured candidate forums for the Minnesota election races for governor, U.S. Senate, and the congressional seats in greater Minnesota. Several other forums on timely agricultural topics are also planned during the three-day event. Farmfest is coordinated by IDEAg Group, a subsidiary of American Farm Bureau Federation.

Families and growers from across Minnesota will be represented as the University of Minnesota honors them in the 2026 Farm Family of the Year ceremony at 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the annual Minnesota Farmfest near Redwood Falls. The event will be held on the Gilfillan Estate in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center.

Those chosen cover a wide spectrum of farming, from traditional crops and livestock to community-based ventures and operations producing an array of fruit, vegetables and flowers. They were selected by local University of Minnesota Extension committees based on the honorees’ demonstrated commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture.

Minnesota Soybean is returning to the Farmfest grounds Aug. 4-6 at the Gilfillan Estate in Morton to raise the banner and stake its claim as the State of Soy.

“Minnesota, of course, has a deep connection to farming, and soybeans play a huge part in our agriculture industry, from providing jobs to driving on-farm revenue and improving our environment,” said Gail Donkers, chair of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. “For our industry, Farmfest is the place to be every summer.”