For more than six decades, a major stop along the way to a new rice farming season is the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. This year’s event will be held at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., March 3-4.
“The Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in recent years has seen a substantial increase in rice-related exhibits and rice marketing seminar attendance,” says Tim Price, show manager. “I believe this reflects the rice industry responsiveness at all levels to understand and adapt to the changes and challenges of this industry.”
To that end, the show features several rice-focused presentations.
“The rice industry is in a particularly challenging time,” he says. “Few commodities require more daily watching and constant learning—from the economics of production to an ever-changing global and domestic market—than rice.”
Friday’s lineup
The show officially begins at 8:30 a.m., Friday, with the Ag Update Meeting. Carl Brothers, Riceland Foods, will present the outlook for rice and wheat; Ronnie Lee, National Cotton Council, will discuss cotton issues; and Joe Nicosia, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, will discuss the outlook for U.S. and world cotton.
Show exhibits open at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.
Stop by and say “hi” to the folks at One Grower Publishing, parent company of Rice Farming magazine. While you’re at our booth, No. 3005, register for a chance to win one of two Bass Pro Shop gift cards. One will be given away each afternoon—you don’t need to be present to win.
A special Xtend dicamba seminar starts at 10:45 a.m. Presenters include Ryan Rector, Monsanto technology development manager for dicamba; Dr. Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee row crop weed specialist; and growers with experience using XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology.
A grain marketing workshop featuring Brock & Associates will be held at 1:30 p.m. A $25 registration fee is required. To pre-register, call 800-558-3431.
More educational opportunities
The show resumes Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with another Ag Update Meeting, featuring Richard Brock, Brock Associates, who will present a grain market outlook and discuss challenges facing farmers in 2017.
Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist, Firstgrain Inc., will host a special rice marketing educational seminar at 1:30 p.m.
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.
View the complete schedule by clicking here.
See you in Memphis!