Registration is open for the sixth annual Great Lakes Crop Summit on Jan. 30-31 at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The deadline to reserve hotel rooms and receive the early-registration price is Jan. 8.

GLCS is the only event in Michigan focused exclusively on corn, soybean and wheat growers. It is hosted by the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the Michigan Wheat Program. Last year, more than 1,000 people from across Michigan attended.

This year, GLCS has scheduled two keynote speakers that will strive to bring a broader perspective on the global agriculture industry and discuss how farmers can thrive and grow during these challenging economic times.

Keynote topics
The following presentations will be given:

Agriculture Today: It Is What It Is … What Should We Do About It? David Kohl, professor emeritus at Virginia Tech, will discuss how the agricultural industry is facing an economic environment of razor-thin margins, combined with increased volatility. The result is massive changes in the structure of agriculture and rural communities. This session will discuss the assessment of management IQ that often places businesses in the top third or bottom third of profitability. What are the financial and business management characteristics that you must focus on in planning, strategizing, executing and monitoring for 2019 and beyond?

Consumers and Supermarket Trends: How Will They Impact How We Grow and Produce Food? Michael Horsch, with Horsch Machine in Germany, will bring a visionary world view of how agriculture needs to position itself to not only survive, but also thrive in the world of evolving consumer demands. How can we get ahead of the curve on technology and world markets?

Breakout sessions will cover a range of topics, including crop nutrient and pest management, farm management, global and local marketing, reaching consumers, environmental quality, and technology. There will also be sessions specifically designed for corn, soybean and wheat growers. In addition to educational sessions, the conference showcases the latest agricultural products and services at a trade show with more than 60 exhibitors.

The Michigan Corn Growers Association and the Michigan Soybean Association will also hold their 2019 annual meetings during GLCS.

Registration information and a list of topics, speakers and events are available online at greatlakescropsummit.com, and hotel discounts are available.

Source: MCGA