SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — More than 1,000 soybean growers, industry representatives and thought leaders are expected to gather December 7 for the 2017 AgOutlook conference and trade show, hosted by the South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA) in Sioux Falls at the Best Western Ramkota Exhibit Hall (3200 W Maple St). The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m.
The registration deadline for this event is Dec. 1, 2017. To register for this event, visit www.sdsoybean.org and click on the events tab or contact the SDSA office at 605-330-9942.
“This conference provides soybean growers with an opportunity to glean valuable knowledge while at the same time, network with farmers and ag specialists from across the region,” said Jerry Schmitz, a Vermillion farmer and SDSA Board President.
Along with networking opportunities and a trade show featuring 75 exhibitors, AgOutlook features a lineup of nationally recognized speakers who will help farmers navigate the uncertainty of the future and teach them how to get their best return on investment with proper planning and strategy.
Agenda & Speaker information
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Calyxt’s Value Added Soybean Early Riser Breakfast
Amphitheater 2 | RSVP at www.calyxt.com/agoutlook/.
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Asgrow Early Riser Session
Amphitheater 1
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Trade Show Open
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. SDSA soyPAC Silent Auction
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. John Roach, Senior Market Analyst: During this session, Roach will focus on market strategy and the grain market outlook for 2018. He hopes to connect growers with simple, easy-to-use tools to improve their marketing results.
“I enjoy talking with growers and learning their plans, concerns and the realities they’re facing this year,” Roach said. “I hope they’ll leave my session feeling encouraged and knowing better times are ahead.”
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Free Noon Meal in Trade Show Area
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Carolyn Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney: During this session, Thompson will speak on the importance of planning for the future of the farm and through proper planning, how farm families can avoid common pitfalls.
She will share words of wisdom gained from her experiences in a small-town café and more than 20 years of agricultural estate planning in the four-state region.
“I’m an entrepreneur with the heart of a teacher who happens to practice law in the beautiful world of keeping families families, farms farms and businesses businesses,” said Thompson.
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Randy Dowdy, World Record Grower of Soybeans and Corn: Dowdy’s session, Soybeans: What Are the Right Questions to Ask? will focus on soybean production factors like soybean and soil fertility, usage of fungicides and PGRs, as well as irrigation.
“I believe in paying my success forward,” Dowdy said. “By this I mean, paying back the farmers, industry professionals, university personnel and neighbors who helped me when I began farming. I hope to help others in return.”
4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. Social & Prize Drawings
5 p.m. Trade Show Closes
Speaker bios
John Roach, Senior Market Analyst
John Roach grew up in south central Iowa on a grain and livestock operation, which sparked his interest in grain markets. His expertise in grain marketing and market analysis is founded on his four decades of experience, including starting his own independent consulting and commodity brokerage firm and working with more than 10,000 agribusiness customers both in the U.S. and abroad.
Carolyn A. Thompson, Founder of Thompson Law
Growing up in rural Parkston, South Dakota, Carolyn Thompson felt driven to help farmers plan for the ups and downs of both farming and family life while pouring coffee at the Corner Café. This tug is what drove her to found Thompson Law, P.C., a law firm dedicated to providing its clients with the highest-quality estate planning resources.
Randy Dowdy, World Record: Corn & Soybean Bushels/Acre
For Randy Dowdy, a first-generation farmer from Valdosta, Georgia and world-record holder for highest corn yields, the primary focus of farming isn’t necessarily winning a yield contest. It’s the return on investment. His forward-thinking crop production strategy challenges the traditional and focuses on extracting as much yield as possible from each seed planted.
For more information on AgOutlook, visit www.sdsoybean.org.
— South Dakota Soybean Association
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