GEAPS Exchange 2026 is shattering records for the third consecutive year, John Caupert, CEO of the Grain Elevators and Processing Society (GEAPS), said in an exclusive interview with Feed & Grain at Exchange. Exhibitor and attendee numbers surpassed projections as the grain and grain processing industry gathered this week in Kansas City at its largest annual trade event.
The conference welcomed 459 exhibiting companies — exceeding its goal of 431 — and was tracking nearly 4,000 attendees on its opening day alone. Walk-in registration remains available throughout the event, Caupert said.
"From the farmer to the consumer and everybody in between — that's GEAPS," Caupert said, describing the show as the world's largest single-site conference dedicated exclusively to grain and grain processing.
Among the highlights of Exchange 2026 is the inaugural Grain Merchandising event, a programming track exploring the intersection of grain merchandising and grain operations, followed by a networking mixer for grain merchandisers.
The Grain Processing: Leadership Perspectives on What’s Next – A Panel Discussion is another featured addition this year, with a panel moderated by Caupert focusing on the soy crush and ethanol industries. Speakers include Devon Mogler, CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA); Robert White, senior vice president of industry relations at the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA); and Dr. Kurt Rosentrater, a researcher from Iowa State University whose work on co-products connects to priorities in both the soy crush and ethanol sectors. Caupert expects White to address the importance of year-round E15 availability.
Caupert, who spent 20 years in the biofuel and ethanol space before joining GEAPS, said expanding the processing component of the organization's programming has been a key focus.
"We are the organization — we are the conference — that brings the global grain and grain processing industries all together as one," he said.
