In today’s tight economic times, the agriculture industry needs as much advice as possible to do the right thing — not only for the bottom line, but also for the environment and future generations.

Making good management decisions, individually tailored to your farm, is a must in today’s environment.

If you’re looking for some one-stop shopping to pick up the latest ideas, trends and opportunities, the Great Lakes Crop Summit has two jam-packed days, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, designed to fit this need.

It also includes the prestigious Master Farmer program that is founded and awarded by Michigan Farmer magazine, with support from Brownfield Ag News and sponsored by GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Wilbur-Ellis and the summit sponsors.

Being a Master Farmer distinguishes growers as being the “best of the best,” in farm management, innovation, conservation, leadership and community involvement. It’s always a real honor to present these awards, and I’ll be working with Nicole Heslip from Brownfield Ag News to develop story-telling videos of these winners that will be shared the second day of the conference, Feb. 1, during a luncheon ceremony starting at 11:15 a.m.

Something for everyone
The conference schedule includes a robust lineup of educational sessions on a wide range of current and relevant topics and issues.  It also boasts a large exhibitor show, the latest in agricultural innovation and technology, and the opportunity to network with farmers.

Highly qualified university and industry speakers from Michigan and seven other states will make presentations.

Keynote speakers will go into ag policy under the Trump administration and Congress, as well as how to right-size your farm and become a better marketer in four steps.

The exhibitor space is again sold out, attracting 63 state, national and international companies.

The location is the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, which was chosen because it’s centrally located in the state and offers hotel rooms that are connected to the conference area — and let’s face it, who wants to go outside that time of year?

The only downside to this location is with this event growing every year and about 1,000 people attending last year, it may be reaching its capacity soon. Early registration is a good idea and you can shave a few dollars at the same time. Register by Jan. 8 for $150, which includes both days. After that date, it goes up $25 and is subject to availability. Additional attendees from the same farm can register early for $125. Students can attend either day for $50.

You can also earn RUP, CCA and MAEAP credits for attending the conference.

This conference is specifically designed for corn, wheat and soybean growers. The breakout sessions offered not only cover broad management areas, but also commodity-specific topics.

Five years ago Jim Zook, executive director of the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, was looking for the best way to communicate to growers and use their checkoff dollars to provide the latest and most applicable information for growers.

He and Natalie Rector, CMPM research coordinator, began to put together a conference. Realizing that many corn growers also grow soybeans and wheat, those checkoff organizations were asked to join into the planning of a comprehensive conference.

So, now we’re in the fourth year and interest is only growing.

Zook says, “Having all three commodity groups meet in one place really amplifies the value of the crop summit and allows us to bring in top-notch speakers with valuable information to share. That’s why the Great Lakes Crop Summit is the premier event for Michigan farmers.”

In addition to keynote speakers each day, there are a whopping 28 breakout sessions. A few that caught my eye include:
• New herbicide traits in soybeans
• Sustaining the farm after disaster
• Q&A: Share your experiences and ask questions about precision technologies
• Fitting options into your marketing plan
• Making a long-term plan to manage against herbicide resistance
• Connecting yields and profits with soil health

The whole agenda and registration can be found at greatlakescropsummit.com.