Country Elevator Conference to Feature Sonny Perdue as Keynote

The National Grain and Feed Association’s (NGFA) 48th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show, the single largest gathering of country grain elevators in the nation, will feature Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, as well as expert insights into the 2020 market outlook, the future of food and more.

The 2019 edition of this “meeting of the year” for country elevator managers, merchants and personnel, to be conducted Dec. 8-10 at the J.W. Marriott in Indianapolis, will bring together more than 600 agribusiness professionals for a day-and-a half of information and networking.

In addition to notable keynote speakers, breakout sessions will include workshops examining the business implications of rural mental health challenges, an in-depth market advisory session and an examination of the impacts of African Swine Fever-prevention efforts on the grain and feed sectors.

“NGFA’s Country Elevator Committee and staff work to develop a robust program that makes this conference a unique and well-rounded event for country elevators and businesses across the supply chain,” says Brian Gordon, NGFA’s Country Elevator Committee chairman and chief executive officer of the Ritzville Warehouse Co. in Ritzville, Wash. “This conference is a great opportunity to gain critical and actionable information in one place at one time that will make a real difference in your business operations and bottom lines. And of course, the exhibitor trade show and great networking events offer plenty of time to connect with and learn from industry colleagues and introduce younger members of the NGFA to a career path in the grain industry.”

计划一般会议包括：

• A keynote address from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue
• Seth Meyer, research professor at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri, and immediate past chairman of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) World Agricultural Outlook Board
• Jack Bobo, CEO of Futurity
• Pipeline Foods的首席执行官Eric Jackson和Groff North America的创始主席Steve Groff与“有机物，大麻和创新机会”小组讨论。
• A panel on “Boosting Your Business through Diversity and Inclusion” with Karl Binns, lead development officer at the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and national president of Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS); Dave Hoogmoed, executive vice president of Land O’Lakes and president of Purina Animal Nutrition; and Megan Weidner, vice president of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Bunge North America, Inc.

Breakout sessions include:

• “农业的弹性：农村心理健康挑战的业务影响”，梅西尔·佩恩（Michele Payn），原因是事业事务公司的负责人。
• “African Swine Fever: Analyzing Impacts of a Global Crisis” with Michael Nepveux, economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
• “新对冲前沿:粮食部门Can Lead the Charge in Hedging Fertilizer and Interest Rate Exposures” with Richard Jelinek, vice president of global education; Eric Donovan, managing director and head of FX & interest rates; and Josh Linville, senior risk management consultant, all at INTL FCStone.

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