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MN Ag Expo a winter highlight

Slideshow: A trade show, informational panels and keynote addresses fill the two-day event.

Kevin Schulz, Editor

January 24, 2024

7 Slides

MN Ag Expo is a great place to escape the wintry blast, as Minnesota’s corn and soybean grower associations host the annual event that offers farmers a chance to reunite with fellow producers and agribusinesses.

This year’s event, held Jan. 17-18 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Civic Center in downtown Mankato, showcased a trade show of nearly 100 booths, as well as keynote speakers and breakout sessions to help farmers improve their operations and themselves. Maybe more important, MN Ag Expo offers farmers a chance to meet with old and new friends over a cup of coffee.

With an eye on the future of Minnesota agriculture, this year’s expo featured for the first time a Young and Emerging Farmers Workshop to aid young farmers as they begin their journey.

The Jan. 17 dinner keynote featured P.J. Fleck, University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football coach, who reportedly drew parallels between the teamwork necessary for success on the football field and in Minnesota’s farm fields.

Take a look through these images to relive some moments from the 2024 MN Ag Expo, or to see what you missed.

About the Author(s)

Kevin Schulz

Editor, The Farmer

Kevin Schulz joined The Farmer as editor in January of 2023, after spending two years as senior staff writer for Dakota Farmer and Nebraska Farmer magazines. Prior to joining these two magazines, he spent six years in a similar capacity with National Hog Farmer. Prior to joining National Hog Farmer, Schulz spent a long career as the editor of The Land magazine, an agricultural-rural life publication based in Mankato, Minn.

During his tenure at The Land, the publication grew from covering 55 Minnesota counties to encompassing the entire state, as well as 30 counties in northern Iowa. Covering all facets of Minnesota and Iowa agriculture, Schulz was able to stay close to his roots as a southern Minnesota farm boy raised on a corn, soybean and hog finishing farm.

One particular area where he stayed close to his roots is working with the FFA organization.

Covering the FFA programs stayed near and dear to his heart, and he has been recognized for such coverage over the years. He has received the Minnesota FFA Communicator of the Year award, was honored with the Minnesota Honorary FFA Degree in 2014 and inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame in 2018.

Schulz attended South Dakota State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. He was also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and now belongs to its alumni organization.

His family continues to live on a southern Minnesota farm near where he grew up. He and his wife, Carol, have raised two daughters: Kristi, a 2014 University of Minnesota graduate who is married to Eric Van Otterloo and teaches at Mankato (Minn.) East High School, and Haley, a 2018 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is married to John Peake and teaches in Hayward, Wis. 

When not covering the agriculture industry on behalf of The Farmer's readers, Schulz enjoys spending time traveling with family, making it a quest to reach all 50 states — 47 so far — and three countries. He also enjoys reading, music, photography, playing basketball, and enjoying nature and campfires with friends and family.

[email protected]

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