North Dakota corn and soybean commodity groups are going to have a joint convention. The 2018 Northern Corn and Soybean Expo will be held Feb. 13 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Fargodome on the North Dakota State University campus in Fargo, N.D.

The event is hosted by the North Dakota Corn Council and the North Dakota Soybean Council.

Global futurist Jay Lehr, director of the Heartland Institute, is the keynote speaker. He’ll kick off the event at 8:30 a.m. with a presentation about the major trends in agriculture and the breakthroughs that are coming in the industry.

Farmer, banker and Market to Market television host Mike Peterson will conclude the Expo at 3:15 p.m. with his grain market outlook and analysis of global trends impact the markets.

During the day, there will be a series of breakout sessions. Topics and presenters include:

• 10:15-11 a.m. — Soil Health Tips and Tricks, Abbey Wick, North Dakota State University soil health specialist; Farm Bill Panel, North Dakota congressional delegation; The Role of Trade Agreements and Farm Bill for Exports, Saleem Shaik, NDSU associate professor in Agribusiness and Applied Economics; and Water Management & Wetland Regulation, Kale Van Bruggen, attorney.

• 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. — The Scouting Report: Soybean Diseases,  Sam Markell, NDSU Extension plant pathologist; North Dakota Corn Growers Association Annual Meeting; Livestock Development in North Dakota, Amber Boeshans, director, North Dakota Livestock Alliance; and Water Management and Wetland Regulation, Kale Van Bruggen, attorney.

• 1-1:45 p.m. — Essential Amino Acids Add to Your Bottom Line, Peter Mishek, manager, international trade and business development, Ag Processing Inc; North Dakota Soybean Growers Association Annual Meeting; Rules of Engagement: Connecting Without Teaching or Preaching, Val Wagner, ag advocate-blogger-farmer, Forman, N.D.; Corn Diseases in North Dakota, Andrew Friskop, NDSU Extension plant pathologist

• 2-2:45 p.m. — Soil Health Tips and Tricks, Abbey Wick, NDSU Extension soil health specialist; Dicamba: Can We Use it Safely?, Kirk Howatt and Rich Zollinger, NDSU Extension weed specialists; Understanding Inversions and How NDAWN Detects Them, Daryl Ritchison, interim director, North Dakota Agriculture Weather Network; Corn and Soybean Insect Pests on the Rise for 2018; Janet Knodel, NDSU Extension entomologist.

The event also includes a trade show.

Admission is free, but registration is required. You can pre-register online at bit.ly/2qE2ZES.

For more information, see bit.ly/2AHqWLm