Editor
The Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is an iconic event that has educated and entertained the agricultural community for decades. The doors open this year Feb. 25 on its 70th anniversary — quite a milestone!
Generations of Southern families have packed their suitcases, put on their blue suede shoes and journeyed to Memphis, Tennessee, to walk the aisles at the Gin Show, filling giveaway bags with trinkets and learning about the latest and greatest products and services to make them more profitable. It’s a tradition in the South.
For many, many years, we have memorized our route around the Cook Convention Center. We all know to drop by the Helena booth to grab some hot popcorn, bring the kids to pose for pics on new farm machinery, and have face-to-face time with the hundreds of vendors who have worked so hard to find ways to make farmers more prosperous.
We missed the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show’s physical presence last year because of the COVID pandemic. However, Tim Price, executive vice president, Southern Cotton Ginners Association, rose to the challenge. He and his talented staff produced a virtual version of the show to keep the ball rolling.
In 2022, we are back to in-person activities. The Mid-South Farm & Gin Show will be the same thing, only different. Different in that the Cook Convention Center has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility to house the event. Same location on Main St., but with a major facelift. You have to see it to believe it.
The show kicks off Friday with the Ag Update meeting at 8:30 a.m. Another Ag Update meeting will be held Saturday at the same time. Show exhibits open at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday. In addition to these meetings and exhibits, several seminars are on the schedule. Of special interest to the rice community is an educational rice marketing seminar. It will be held Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist, Firstgrain Inc., says, “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.”
The Mid-South Farm & Gin Show provides the perfect opportunity for our diverse Southern agricultural community to network, catch up with old friends and get ready for the upcoming season. Please make plans to attend. You will be glad you did. Go to farmandginshow.com to register and get more information.
See you in Memphis!