Gov. Heineman Announces Line-up for Governor’s Ag Conference

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today previewed the schedule for the 2009 Governor’s Ag Conference, being held Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Kearney, located at 110 Second Ave. The theme for conference is “Nebraska Agriculture in an Era of Change.”

“The past year brought our farmers and ranchers challenges and opportunities they had never experienced before,” Gov. Heineman said. “With new leadership in Washington, D.C., and our nation’s ongoing economic struggles, I think additional change is inevitable. With this conference, we hope to take stock of the present situation and gain some insight into what may be on the horizon.”

Pre-conference activities begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday with the Celebrate Nebraska Agriculture Reception, featuring foods produced by Nebraska farmers and ranchers and entertainment by Nebraska comedienne Juli Burney of Hartington. The conference begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Clayton Yeutter, a former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative, will be the keynote speaker. He is currently a policy adviser specializing in trade issues for a Washington, D.C., law firm.

Gov. Heineman said, “Mr. Yeutter has influenced a generation of trade issues during his career. We look forward to hearing his thoughts on the global outlook for Nebraska agricultural exports.”

Two policy experts will discuss potential changes at the national level that could influence Nebraska farms and ranches. Sara Wyant, president of Agri-Pulse Communications and editor of Agri-Pulse Newsletter will speak, along with Steve Kopperud, senior vice president at Policy Directions, Inc., and author of Inside D.C., a weekly column on agriculture issues published by Brownfield Network.

Other speakers will highlight potential change at the state-level that could impact agriculture, including Dr. Ernie Goss, Creighton University economics professor, who coordinates a monthly economic survey of rural bankers and business leaders in the Midwest. Dean Groskurth, deputy director of the Nebraska office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, will talk about trends seen in the recent Census of Agriculture.

Other topics include partnerships used to brand and promote Nebraska products and a session designed to help farmers and ranchers transition to new operators.

Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach said, “Governor’s Ag Conference presents an opportunity each year for Nebraska agriculturalists to hear about breaking agriculture issues and gain insight for future discussions. Whether you’re interested in trade, environment, or promotion and development of markets, you are sure to benefit from attending the 2009 Governor’s Ag Conference. We are excited to have such a great line-up of knowledgeable speakers to address these and other subjects.”

The conference is open to anyone with an interest in learning more about the issues facing Nebraska agriculture. A $75 registration fee covers participation at both the conference and the Wednesday night reception. Registration information is available online at http://www.agr.ne.gov, or calling NDA toll-free at (800) 831-0550.

 Editor’s Note: Members of the media are invited to attend the conference. To make arrangements, please contact NDA Public Information Officer Christin Kamm at 402-471-6856.