UTM to host agricultural conference

Dr. David Kohl, internationally known speaker to farmers, ag lenders, small business owners and agribusiness audiences, will be the featured presenter at the 10th annual Mid-South Agricultural Finance Conference set for Aug. 3 at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The conference will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 3 at UTM’s Boling University Center.
Kohl is known for providing audiences with practical information and financial tools to help make good farm operations great farm operations.
He will be joined on the program by nationally known experts in agricultural production and policy.  
“This year’s conference will host the most prestigious panel to date, and participants will gain practical ‘take-home’ knowledge from some of the nation’s foremost agricultural experts,” said Joe Brasher, First State Bank community bank president. “The conference is an excellent business development opportunity and the sessions are designed to provide the most relevant and up-to-date information for lenders and ag producers.”
Tom Elam, president of FarmEcon LLC, will provide an up-to-date perspective on commodity prices, feeding costs and major meat price trends during his presentation on “Commodity Prices and Sustained Profitability in the Livestock Industry.”
Joe Outlaw, professor and extension economist at Texas A&M University, will discuss the farm bill, biofuel policies, land values and direct payments as part of his presentation on “The Impact of Government Policy on Your Farming Operation.”
Outlaw will also share his insights as co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center and as a consultant to Congress and its associated agricultural committees.
“As one of the world’s leading ag economists who serves on policy boards and manages his own farming operation, Kohl provides lenders and producers with the most up-to-date and practical information available,” said Dr. Thomas Payne, UT Martin Dunagan Chair of Excellence in Banking.
In addition to conducting more than 5,000 workshops and seminars for ag lenders and producers, Kohl was a leader in establishing national and international standards for reporting and analysis of agricultural producers’ financial information.
Following an overview of economic conditions and trends, Kohl will focus on easy-to-understand indicators of excessive credit risk and, on the positive side, identify marketing opportunities during his presentation “How to Stay on the Survival Island of Agriculture.”
Lenders and producers alike will benefit from Kohl’s best practice guidelines and suggestions for managing credit and cash flow in “The Ten Golden Rules of Ag Management.”
The Mid-South Ag Finance Conference is designed for ag lenders, farmers and other farm-related business owners.
Members of the total management team, including spouses and other business partners, are also encouraged to attend.
The registration fee is $150 for lenders, $75 for farmers and $25 for spouses and students.
Registration information is available by calling (731) 881-7324 or visiting www.utm.edu/agconference.
Those planning to attend the conference are encouraged to register by July 29.
The Mid-South Ag Finance Conference is made possible through the support of the Tennessee Farm Bureau, CoBank and the UT Martin Horace and Sara Dunagan Chair of Excellence in Banking.

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