Another excellent Ag EXPO in the books
MN Ag EXPO 2018 came and went this week, as hundreds from the state’s ag sector gathered at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato. The two-day event featured a full trade show floor, some great exhibitors, an update on the political scene, and a productive Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) resolutions session and annual meeting. We will have more stories recapping the event in the coming weeks, but in the meantime here are a few highlights from the last two days.
The MCGA booth told the story of how “MN Corn Grows MN.” Introduced at Farmfest in August, the “MN Corn Grows MN” campaign was launched to build awareness around the many ways the state’s corn sector benefits all Minnesotans. With a focus on protecting our state’s natural resources while contributing to rural and metro economies, our 24,000-plus corn farmers are an integral contributor to Minnesota’s present and future success. To show how our corn growers are working to produce cleaner fuels, a 2017 MINI Cooper Clubman optimized for higher octane E25 was on hand to show the future of higher ethanol blends. The MINI is the first vehicle optimized for E25 fuel due to its high compression engine.
Joe Gill from KASM Radio Network in Albany was one of many media members stopping by the booth to learn more about “MN Corn Grows MN” and the shiny red MINI Cooper optimized to run on higher ethanol blends. You can also see a segment by Linder Farm Network’s Lynn Ketelsen here.
One of many great educational sessions held at Ag EXPO: David Fischer, who is the director of pollinator safety with Bayer Cropscience; Marla Spivak, an expert on honey bees from the University of Minnesota; and Dan Whitney, who is a commercial bee keeper, provided an update on pollinators and the role agriculture plays.
University of Minnesota Assistant Professor Axel Garcia y Garcia and a student from the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, joined researchers from the University of Minnesota to present Minnesota Corn-funded research. Garcia Y Garcia, whose research focuses on sustainable corn and soybean production practices, presented his work on the impact of cover crops in different environmental conditions.
The Minnesota Corn resolutions session and annual meeting kicked off day two of Ag EXPO. The resolutions session featured great discussion as legislative priorities were set for the upcoming legislative session. At the MCGA annual meeting, MCGA President Kirby Hettver, Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council (MCR&PC) Chair Mickey Peterson and Executive Director Adam Birr provided an update on MCGA activities and an outlook on the year ahead.
During the Ag EXPO luncheon, Blois Olson previewed 2018 elections in Minnesota and hosted a panel of grower leaders from Minnesota’s corn and soybean organizations. The panel featured great conversation on the issues most important to the state’s ag sector.
