Other Feature Forums at Farmfest

• "Beyond The New Farm Bill … What are the Next Big Policy Issues Facing Agriculture?” on Wednesday, August 6, at 10:30 a.m. Trade policies, the Clean Water Act, renewable energy and rural development will be among the policy issues addressed during this forum. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar will join Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau president, and Tom Buis, National Farmer’s Union president, to discuss current and future ag policy issues. This is a very unique experience to hear the presidents of the two major farm organizations in the U.S. on the same forum panel, together with Sen. Klobuchar, who sits on the U.S. Senate Ag Committee.

• Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Gene Hugoson will keynote a special Farmfest forum on Wednesday, August 6, at 1:15 p.m., titled: Food and Fuel … Where is the Balance for Renewable Energy?The panel for this forum will include five experts of varying backgrounds on this topic, including: Brian Buhr, new department head at the U of M applied economics department; Jim Sartwelle, livestock economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation; Randy Spronk, National Pork Producers Association board member; Steve Kramer, Minnesota Corn Growers Association secretary; and Newell Searle, vice president of Second Harvest Heartland. This topic has generated national attention by the media, members of Congress and the general public.

• The feature forum on Thursday, August 7, at 10:30 a.m., is titled Creating a New Vision for Rural Minnesota’s Economic Future.The keynote speaker at this forum will be Mark Drabenstott, director of the RUPRI Policy Center at the University of Missouri and nationally known expert on rural policy and development. The response panel will include: Marc Knisely, CEO of United Farm Credit Services; John Monson, vice president of rural development for AgStar Financial Services; and Bob Byrnes, mayor of Marshall and U of M Regional Extension director.

• Over 65 farm families from counties throughout Minnesota will be recognized at the Farm Family of the Year recognition program, which will be held on Thursday, August 7, at 1:30 p.m., in the forum tent. The program will feature several special guests from the University of Minnesota and the agriculture industry, as well as music by the Great Pretenders. This recognition event is jointly sponsored by FARMFEST and the University of Minnesota. (More details at the University of Minnesota Extension site.

Editor’s note: Kent Thiesse is a former University of Minnesota Extension educator and now is Vice President of MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. You can contact him at 507-726-2137 or via e-mail at kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com.