The Indiana Farm Equipment and Technology Expo, December 11-13 at the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, has announced their final schedule of seminar speakers and live demonstrations. “The show has always had a great seminar but this year we have pulled out all the stops,” said show President Gary Truitt. “We are going to have something going on every minute of every day of the show,” said Truitt.
Topics range from public policy to new technology, agronomy, the markets, financial planning, and cover crops. Nationally known speakers, as well as well respected experts, will present programs with practical information that farmers can take home and put to work on their farms. The seminar stage is sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America.
In addition to the seminars, there will be daily live demonstrations of new technology and innovation including hands-on demonstrations on the use of drones in agricultural applications along with a unique rain simulator that will show the benefits of using cover crops to improve soil fertility and moisture. The Demonstration Zone is sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
Over 160 exhibitors will have products on display in the more than 3-acre building. Show hours are 9am-4pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and 9am-3pm on Thursday. Admission to the show is free and all seminar programs and demonstrations are also free.
Seminars
| Tuesday | ||
| Speaker | Time | Topic |
| Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch | 9:00 AM | Official Show Opening and welcome remarks |
| Indiana FFA State Officers | 9:15 AM | Donation to Indiana FFA Foundation |
| Former Secretary of Agriculture John Block | 10:00 AM | Technology and Trade, an update from Washington on the Farm Bill and trade disputes |
| Justin Schneider, Indiana Farm Bureau Public Policy Dept. | 10:30 AM | 2019 IN Farm Bureau Farm Policy outlook |
| Brent Ditmars, Regional Vice President Agricultural Lending, Farm Credit Mid-America | 11:00 AM | Lending in Today’s Ag Environment |
| Ken and Rodney Rulon | 11:30 AM | Making Your Soil Organic Matter Pay |
| Hoosier Ag Today meteorologist Ryan Martin | 12:30 PM | 2019 Weather outlook |
| Lannie Cohen/ Capitol Commodities | 2:00 PM | How to make hedging work in 2019 |
| Wednesday | ||
| Dr. Bob Nielsen, Purdue Extension Corn specialist | 9:00 AM | Chat and Chew in the Rural King Coffee Shop, free coffee and donuts |
| CCA Betsy Bower and Vermillion County farmer Carter Morgan | 10:00 AM | The Practical Side of Cover Crops |
| Hoosier Ag Today meteorologist Ryan Martin | 11:00 AM | 2019 Weather outlook |
| Dr. Chris Hurt, Purdue Ag Economist | 11:30 AM | 2019 Market and Economic Outlook |
| Gary Coleman, Regional Vice President Agricultural Lending, Farm Credit Mid-America | 1:00 PM | Lending in Today’s Ag Environment |
| Tanner Coulter/ CA Insurance | 2:00 PM | Estate Planning for the Indiana farm family |
| Travis Burnett, CCA | 2:30 PM | Beck’s Pratical Farm Research update |
| Thursday | ||
| Dr. Shaun Casteel, Purdue Extension Soybean Specialist | 9:00 AM | Chat and Chew in the Rural King Coffee Shop, free coffee and donuts |
| Kyle Tom, Tom Farms | 10:00 AM | Using soil sensors and big data technology on the farm |
| Brian Bush, field agronomist Pioneer | 10:30 AM | Agronomy research update |
| Ben Wicker, Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance | 11:00 AM | Plan, Apply, Protect: Making the Most of Your Fertilizer and Manure Investments |
| Mark Anson, cover crop Farmer | 11:30 AM | Making Life on the Farm Easier on 20,000 Acres |
| Caroline Currie, Climate Corporation | 12:00 PM | The FieldView System |
| Certified Applicator Training by Purdue Extension | 1:00 PM | $10 registration fee required |
Demonstration Zone Schedule
| Tuesday | ||
| Purdue Drone Program | 10:30 AM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 11:30 AM | Slake test, infiltration test, slump test, soil microbiology |
| Purdue Drone Program | 12:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 1:30 PM | Unlock the Secrets in the Soil |
| Purdue Drone Program | 2:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Purdue Drone Program | 10:30 AM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 11:30 AM | Slake test, infiltration test, slump test, soil microbiology |
| Purdue Drone Program | 12:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 1:30 PM | Unlock the Secrets in the Soil |
| Purdue Drone Program | 2:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Thursday | ||
| Purdue Drone Program | 10:30 AM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 11:30 AM | Slake test, infiltration test, slump test, soil microbiology |
| Purdue Drone Program | 12:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
| Cover Crop Demonstration | 1:30 PM | Unlock the Secrets in the Soil |
| Purdue Drone Program | 2:30 PM | Purdue Extension will demonstrate how drones can be used in a variety of farming applications |
