BY TOMMY HORTON
EDITOR
If it’s February, it can only mean one thing. Winter is almost over, and spring can’t be too far away. It also means that the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is right around the corner. Those are the thoughts that attendees usually have each year when they visit this agricultural tradition in Memphis, Tenn.
On Feb. 28 and March 1, another edition of this event will be showcased at the Cook Convention Center, and visitors will find a multitude of attractions. First, there are 400 exhibitors who will offer an array of displays and information on all kinds of agricultural equipment and technology. If that isn’t enough to satisfy a person’s curiosity, several educational seminars will be conducted to keep farmers and ginners updated on current ag issues.
“Farmers and ginners can learn from an event like this,” says show manager Tim Price. “Not only will we have new products and services available for viewing, but the event continues to be a farmer-to-farmer ag business forum. It’s an incubator for ideas. Our challenges have always become new opportunities.”
Another highlight is the annual Ag Update Seminar scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. On Friday morning at 8:30, reports will be presented from National Cotton Council chairman Wally Darnielle, Carl Brothers (Riceland Foods) and Joe Nicosia (Allenberg Cotton). On Saturday morning, Richard Brock (Brock Associates) will offer his yearly update on grain marketing as well as a market outlook.
Mid-South Ag Forum Returns
An informative event on Friday will be the Mid-South Ag Forum, a seminar bringing together researchers and other industry experts from regional universities and companies. Some of the topics on the schedule include irrigation, cropping systems, honeybees, weed control and on-farm grain storage.
“We are continuing this event from last year because it gives our universities in the area a chance to share their latest findings in research,” says Price. “It’s just a quick update on issues that will interest our farmers and ginners.”
As for the current state of the Mid-South cotton industry, Price remains optimistic. While acreage has decreased considerably in the region in the past few years, he believes producers will continue to deliver high yields on fewer acres. He predicts that the cotton sector will find a way to survive in the current environment.
“The cotton sector remains a vital part of American agriculture,” he says. “I think we’ve gone through a lot of adjustments, but they haven’t decimated the industry. It certainly hasn’t taken away from our capacity to rebound to market signals.”
Price encourages all attendees to pre-register for the show by going to www.farmandginshow.com. Attendees can click on the “attendee registration” button, complete the form and then print it out. They should then bring that form to the show to obtain their name badge.
Contact Tommy Horton at thorton@onegrower.com or (901) 767-4020.