The 2012 Joint Commodity Conference is shaping up to be an epic event in its 23 year history. Bonnie Holloman, show coordinator, says that pre-registration of attendees is in excess of 400, easily 100 more than last year’s conference in New Bern, and there are scheduled to be 57 exhibitors in the trade show, 16 more than last year.
One exhibitor, Christian Overton, rep for NC, SC and VA with Progeny Ag Products:
"The Joint Conference is always a great show, great famers and great people, and get down to the nuts and bolts of where prouction agriculture is in the state."
Overton continues that the conference is also a great learning experience for growers:
"It's always a great show to make a lot of great contacts and there's a lot of great information presented there, as well."
 One of today’s speakers is Michael Dwyer director for global policy analysis for the foreign services office of USDA. Dwyer plans to answer a few burning questions that producers have:
"The question most farmers have because they've seen these periods of great prosperity before where they quickly return to the longer run patterns of fairly low commodity prices and the like. One of the questions they're asking today is, is this one of those cycles; or is it different this time; or is it a part of a longer run phenomenon?"
Dwyer says that he’ll be discussing factors that affect a producer’s profitability:
"There are several factors that are driving global ag markets over the next decade and they are very, very favorable to any ag producer who recieves world prices."
In addition to Mike Dwyer, Glenn Carlson with the North Carolina Ports Authority will be speaking on the role that the ports system in the state plays in advancing agriculture in North Carolina:
"I really want to focus on a discussion of how we can work with the agricultureal industry in this state to increase exports; whether it's at Morehead City or the Port of Wilmington. Commissioner Troxler has on a number of cases highlighted that situation and it's certainly a fact, despite the fact that we're growing we have a long way to go. We have certainly got the infrastructure and capital invvstment requirements, and hopefully there will be some recommendations in the maritime study coming out here soon."
In addition to Dwyer and Carlson, Dana Peterson, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers in Washington, and Phil Laney, former director for China with the US Soybean Export Council are scheduled speakers.
After lunch, there will be a roundtable discussion with NC State Senators David Rouzer and Brent Jackson along with Lawrence Davenport, chairman of the NC State Board of Trustees. Then at 2:30 the much anticipated production and efficiency awards for the four commodity groups, cotton, corn, small grains and soybeans will be presented.
In a change from previous year’s format, the production research updates will be held simultaneously at 3:45 pm. For complete coverage of the Joint Commodities Conference, click here to go to the SFNToday.com event page...
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