Farmfest, held August 2nd-4th at the Gilfillan Estate in Redwood County, will mark its 30th year next month with a new Livestock Exhibit Area that will house numerous livestock related vendors and exhibitors, and include a new forum stage with expert speakers who will address timely and important subjects related to the region's livestock sector.

"With Minnesota's diverse and vibrant livestock sector, we thought it was important to make a concerted effort to showcase the region's businesses that provide services to livestock farmers, and bring in expert speakers for livestock farmers to hear from and interact with", said Ray Bianchi, Group Show Director for Farmfest.

The new livestock area will be located near gate #2 on the south end of the grounds. The area will also include a new forum stage with expert speakers. The forums will address a wide range of topics—managing feed costs, navigating regulations, disease management, antibiotic use, and financial and legal services.

The Livestock Pavilion Schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, August 2

9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m.

Managing Feed Costs in Times of High Commodity Prices

Mark Whitney, University of Minnesota

Chad Zehnder, Land O Lakes Purina Feed

Dan Kohls, Form a Feed

Tim Claver, Cargill

Mark Greenwood, AgStar Financial Services

Kent Beadle, CHS-Country Hedging

Dick Nelson, Willmar Poultry Company

2:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Resources to Navigate Regulations

John Jaschke, MN Board of Water and Soil Resources

Tim Gieseke, Ag Resource Strategies

Andy Nesseth, Extended Ag Services

Jared Anez, Anez Consulting

Curt Zimmerman, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Tom Walsh, Dublin Dairy

Wednesday, August 3

9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m.

Managing Diseases That Eat Away Profits

Jeremy Schefers, University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab

Brian Dorcey, Prairie Livestock Supply

John Rodgers, Pfizer Animal Health

Jerry Torrison, University of Minnesota

Larry Goelz, Pipestone Veterinary Clinic

Andre Ziegler, University of Minnesota

2:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Managing Antibiotic Use

Tim Goldsmith, University of Minnesota

Liz Wagstrom, National Pork Producers Association

Heidi Kassenborg, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Gary Neubauer, Pfizer Animal Health

Dan Rentschler, American Foods Group

Thursday, August 4

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Financial and Legal Services for Managing the Farm

Lee Hanson, Gray Plant Mooty

Mike Mastey, Ridgewater College

Steve Zenk, Ridgewater College

Neil Sullivan, United FCS