Country Elevator Conference Highlights

I had the privilege of attending the 2017 Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky this past Saturday - Tuesday. This year’s meeting attracted more than 550 members from the grain, feed, processing and export industry. I enjoyed getting to see and visit with individuals from Nebraska's grain elevators and the Nebraska businesses showcasing their work at the trade show.

 Celebrating 37 Years - KGFA Tom Tunnell

The Country Elevator Conference is the annual meeting of the state association executives with National Grain and Feed Association staff. This was my first opportunity to meet my counterparts in-person and some staff members from NGFA whom I had not had the chance to meet yet. After a day of meetings, the executive directors had the opportunity to celebrate the 37 years of Kansas Grain and Feed Association's President and CEO Tom Tunnell. Tunnell plans on retiring effective March 31, 2018. Ron Seeber previously their government affairs director will be the President and CEO after March 31.

Seated at the table, from left: Tunnell, KGFA president emeritus; Bob Zelenka, executive director, Minnesota Grain and Feed Association; Jeff Adkisson, executive vice president, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois; Chris Henney, president and CEO, Ohio Agribusiness Association; Tara Artho, president and CEO, Texas Grain and Feed Association; Laura Lemke, assistant executive director, Minnesota Grain and Feed Association; Kristi Block, executive vice president, Nebraska Grain and Feed Association; Tom Bressner, executive director, Wisconsin Agri-Business Association; Ron Seeber, the new president, KGFA; Amy Cornell, president, Indiana Grain and Feed Association; Stu Letcher, executive vice president, North Dakota Grain Dealers Association; and Jim Byrum, president, Michigan Agri-Business Association.

 Talking Safety

Two sessions talked about the importance of safety. The War Stories from the Grain Fields and Battle Fields related stories of military service and how safety is such an important factor of our military success and how safety can also make a difference in your grain or feed workplace.

My favorite session and one that I related to was presented by Bunge managers, called Difficult Conversations in the Workplace. The session spoke to the importance of addressing issues as they arise instead of waiting until the issue(s) become bigger employee problems or safety problems. It was also about empowering individuals to say something. Just because it's never happened before. Doesn't mean it won't or can't happen. 

Trade Talks

As NAFTA discussions continue this week, Dec. 11-15, in Washington, we encourage members to notify Nebraska Congressmen and Congresswomen about the importance of NAFTA by using the NGFA advocacy tool on their website. It's easy to use with a model letter to keep our message front-and-center as NAFTA negotiations reach a critical stage.

As an industry heavily involved in export trade markets, NAFTA and other federal trade agreements are of great importance to the success of Nebraska agriculture. Together the National Grain and Feed Association in partnership with the state associations continue to urge President Trump and our federal lawmakers and representatives of the importance of keeping NAFTA and advocating for more bilateral agreements with key trading partners. Nebraska Grain and Feed Association signed onto a letter that read, “Free trade agreements have allowed the U.S. agriculture industry to establish itself as a trusted supplier. International markets have taken years to build, and it is imperative that no steps be taken to jeopardize these gains. We must continue to move the global presence of U.S. agricultural products forward, not backward."

AgVocating Agriculture

Closing out the conference was Greg Peterson of the Peterson Farm Brothers with an important reminder that as we live and work in agriculture, it's important to share what we do with the world. This message is something that I've been reminded of while participating in the Nebraska LEAD program. While what we do every day might not seem extraordinary to us, we have a chance to show the rest of the world a glimpse into our jobs as we help get grain from the field to the table. A picture showing a beautiful sunset featuring a grain elevator, a farmer friend doing his job helping grow food or our employees taking safety seriously helps show the world what agriculture looks like.

Mark your calendars for next year's Country Elevator Conference & Trade Show December 2-4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri.