The 58th Mid-South Farm and Gin show, boasting more than 400 exhibits of the latest in equipment, technology, and services will be held Friday and Saturday at the downtown Memphis Cook Convention Center.

This year’s show offers “perhaps the best set of exhibits ever,” says Tim Price, executive vice president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and manager of the Feb. 26-27 event.

“We hope everyone in the Mid-South ag community is making plans to attend the show. It’s a great day trip from almost anywhere in the Mid-South — or better yet, come for a weekend of showgoing and great food and fun in downtown Memphis.”

The show, sponsored by the SCGA, with Delta Farm Press as co-sponsor, attracts more than 20,000 people each year.

“What impresses me with this year’s show is the quick reaction and turnaround time by manufacturers and providers of supplies and services to the really adverse conditions with which farmers were confronted in 2009.

“Companies have done a great job of developing really innovative products and services to address the issues and needs that producers must contend with in such situations, and this year’s exhibits are a visible demonstration of the industry’s forward thinking.”

This year’s show is a complete sellout, Price says. “In addition to the opportunity to see all this firsthand and to talk one-on-one with company representatives, the informational segments of this year’s show will focus on topics of importance to farmers on the threshold of a new season, he says.

“Weed resistance to herbicides has become one of the key issues in agriculture,” Price says, “and there is much concern in the farm community about how to manage this critical production issue, which could have a drastic impact on production practices, particularly conservation tillage programs.”

A special weed resistance seminar on weed will be held Friday, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m., led by Ken Smith, University of Arkansas Extension weed scientist. Other participants will be Jason Bond, assistant research professor/rice weed management at Mississippi State University; Daniel Stephenson, assistant professor/specialist weed science at the Louisiana State University AgCenter; and Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee Extension weed specialist.

Saturday, Feb. 27, at 1:30 p.m., Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, will discuss ag-related legislation and other issues of importance to agriculture.

“We hope everyone will make plans to attend these two special seminars,” Price says. “We’re fortunate to have these outstanding specialists in the field of weed science to share their knowledge about this major problem, and we’re honored to have Sen. Lincoln to bring her insight into the goings-on in Washington that can have an impact on farmers’ businesses.”

More than 20,000 domestic and international decision-makers are expected to attend the show. Admission is free, but registration is required for admittance to the show areas.

Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The informational Ag Update seminars to be held Friday and Saturday will include outlook sessions for cotton and grains, along with comments from industry officials.

Headliner speakers for the 8:30 a.m., Friday seminar will be Carl Brothers, Riceland Foods, and Joe Nicosia, Allenberg Cotton Co.

At the Saturday, 8:30 a.m. session, Richard Brock, Brock and Associates, will present his in-depth seminar on grain marketing.

The member associations of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association will be holding their annual meeting during the week of the show, with informational sessions and other events, including the annual banquet honoring the Ginner of the Year.

“We hope everyone is making plans to attend the show and enjoy a great weekend in Memphis,” says Price.

For more information about the show, contact the Southern Cotton Ginners Association at 901-947-3104 or visit their Web site, farmandginshow.com