A-State to host annual agribusiness conference

Arkansas State University will host its annual Agribusiness Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. This conference will be the 31st hosted by the university. It provides information and agricultural policy education to farmers, agribusiness professionals, students and educators across the Mid-South.

This year’s conference will focus on global commodity markets, the situation and outlook for the agricultural economy, and the outlook for agricultural policy and the next farm bill.

The morning general session will feature Dan Basse, president of AgResource; Mary Kay Thatcher, senior manager for federal government and industry relations with Syngenta; John Anderson, director of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; and Matuschka Lindo Briggs, senior vice president and regional executive of the Little Rock Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

The noon luncheon features an address by Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.

Afternoon concurrent sessions cover the situation and outlook for rice and cotton markets and a session on animal health issues and the A-State College of Veterinary Medicine.

The conference qualifies for continuing education credits according to the guidelines of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy, Arkansas Certified Crop Advisors and Arkansas Agricultural Consultants, and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.