Plan to attend the 71st Annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show.
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he 2023 Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is scheduled for Feb. 24-25, at the Renasant Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. in Memphis, Tennessee. This venue is the former Cook Convention Center.
The 71st annual show features exhibitors from 35 states across the United States and five international countries, displaying new equipment and machinery, cutting-edge technology and a myriad of products and services, representing all major Mid-South crops. The exhibits open at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.
Everyone is invited to attend the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and Foundation Annual Meetings, which begin Thursday, Feb. 23, 1:30 p.m., at the Peabody Hotel.
Dr. Susan Yvonne “Evy” Jaconis, Director of Agricultural and Environmental Research, Cotton Incorporated, and Hank Reichle, President and CEO, Staplcotn, will discuss U.S. cotton’s challenges and new opportunities.
Tim Price, show manager and executive vice president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association, said the event gives attendees an opportunity to take in everything on display on the trade show floor and attend educational seminars on key issues. “Each year, there are opportunities to hear industry expert perspectives,” he said. “There will be Ag Update seminars featuring market outlooks for cotton and grains, as well as an outlook on issues impacting agriculture.”
Price noted agriculture has often had to adapt to a changing landscape, due to weather, regulation, trade issues or geo-political events.
“Regardless of how often we have adapted, we are faced with navigating the change for the best outcomes for our operations,” he said. “This year’s Mid-South Farm and Gin Show will bring it all together in terms of helping attendees understand the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 as well as outlooks for the coming year.
“We also are invested in rice because I view it as one of the five key crops. It is amazing when you look at everything that goes into rice production. We have had a real increase in the number of new and returning exhibits with connections to the rice industry. In particular, they represent the procurement of varietal seed and the production process all the way through to international rice market issues to the major rice marketers who will be there.”
Ag Update Seminars
An Ag Update Seminar on Friday, Feb. 24, features Joe Nicosia, Louis-Dreyfus Co., who will provide an outlook on cotton.
“Joe’s insights are critical for cotton producers who look to Nicosia for direction on planting and marketing their crop,” Price said.
The Saturday, Feb. 25, Ag Update Seminar features Richard Brock, Brock Associates, who offers an outlook for grains as well as economic policies that may impact agriculture over the next year. Both seminars start at 8:30 a.m. in the Cannon Center.
Educational Opportunities
Additional educational opportunities are planned, including an international trade forum with Agricenter International. More details will be released as they become available. AgLaunch, which uses a farm-centric innovation platform to bring new ideas into agriculture, is expected to conduct its “Shark Tank”-like workshop where individuals and businesses present their ideas to the AgLaunch panel.
On Saturday, Feb. 25, a special rice marketing educational seminar will be held. The event features Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist of Firstgrain Inc.
“Is the price of rice shaking your world?” Hamilton asked. “Is the cost of growing it shaking your world? This workshop looks at the rice price as trapped between uncertain input costs and other factors you may never have thought about before. We will be in Memphis to help you sort through your new crop rice price outlook.”
Show closing times are 5 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, respectively. At 9 p.m., Saturday, the popular Jamboree will kick off at the Peabody Hotel Grand Ballroom with music by The Krackerjacks.
See you in Memphis!