Registration is now open for AgGateway’s 2013 Mid-Year Meeting, to be held June 17-20 at the John Deere Financial Facility in Johnston, Iowa. At the meeting, AgGateway councils, committees and working groups will move forward on valuable efforts to promote, enable and expand eBusiness in agriculture. These efforts are helping companies to implement supply chain efficiencies in such sectors as precision agriculture, seed, grain, feed, crop nutrition and crop protection, as well as for ag retail companies.

There is no registration fee for the Mid-Year Meeting, which makes it a great opportunity for those who have been curious about eBusiness and the organization to see AgGateway in action, and to join in networking events and educational sessions.

AgGateway has seen significant growth due to the success of member collaborations on eConnectivity projects. Membership has grown from 141 to 170 member companies in the past year alone.

The Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference has announced its program for the 2013 event, which features a special presentation of the Alfalfa Intensive Training Seminar, an industry trade show and tremendous fundraising auction.

Sponsored by the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association (N.A.M.A.), the Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference will be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, Neb., Feb. 5-6, 2013. The event is designed especially for alfalfa producers, livestock/dairy producers and others who are involved in alfalfa production, purchasing, hay feeding or processing.

The featured presenter for the 2013 event will be Dr. Dan Undersander, professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over the course of the two days, Dr. Undersander will present a variety of sessions, which are part of the Alfalfa Intensive Training Seminar developed for the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance. Key topics addressed will include managing drought effects, trace mineral impact, pest management, alfalfa in rotations, and contract harvesting.

Additional presentations will include information from soil water/irrigation and animal nutrition experts and a panel discussion featuring a mix of alfalfa producers and purchasers from across the nation.

A large alfalfa industry trade show and fundraising auction are also included during the two-day event. A new event this year, the “Forage Olympics”, will pit teams of alfalfa producers and other conference participants competing in timed events such as hay strapping, stacking square bales and rolling large round bales.

Registration is $10 per person in advance (tickets must be purchased by noon, Feb. 1, 2013) and $20 at the door.

High-horsepower, high-volume competition returns to the 52nd Annual Western Farm Show in 2013 with one of the show’s most popular attractions – the Championship Tractor Pull.

More than 150 drivers and machines from 15 states will compete for $64,600 in prize money during the three-day pulling competition, which gets under way at 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 21-23, at the Kemper Arena in downtown Kansas City.

Featuring past and present champions, the tractor pull is staged by the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association of Carthage, Mo., in partnership with the Western Farm Show. Each night will feature different shows with a total of 10 competing truck and tractor classes, including Light Super Stock Tractors, Super Farm Tractors, Modified Tractors, Pro Stock Trucks and Tractors, and the powerful Unlimited Super Stock Tractors.

Fans can meet many of the drivers and see their machines on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23, at Kemper Arena. Access to this display is open only to attendees of the Western Farm Show, which will be held Friday through Sunday, Feb. 22-24, 2013, at the American Royal Complex a short walk from Kemper Arena. Tickets to the Western Farm Show and to the tractor pull are sold separately and can be purchased beginning in January.

The exhibitor lineup for the Nebraska Power Farming Show keeps getting stronger. This year 121 new exhibitors will showcase products and services in Lincoln, bringing the grand total to more than 870 farm equipment and services companies and 2,150 total booths.

Appearing at the Nebraska Power Farming Show for the first time are organizations like ADM Crop Risk Services, Azland, Inc., Highline Manufacturing, Kelly Ryan, M-C Dryers, Peck Mfg. Co., and T-L Irrigation Co. They join a powerful list of returning exhibitors that includes iconic companies like John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, Bobcat, Kioti, Buhler-Versatile, Kubota and TYM.

The Nebraska Power Farming Show, the second largest indoor farm show in the United States, runs from Dec. 4-6, 2012, at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln.

AgGateway’s seventh annual conference this week drew a record 230 professionals from more than 75 agricultural companies to discuss ongoing successes in implementing eBusiness within the agriculture industry. Attendance at the conference has doubled in just three years.

In addition to educational sessions, networking events and working sessions, the meeting featured the election of the new board, announcement of 2013 meeting dates, and recognition of individual and group efforts that are moving the industry forward in eBusiness.

AgGateway currently has more than 160 member companies working on projects within nine major industry segments. Each council has two representatives on the board.

Open seats include the Crop Nutrition Council Vice-Chair, and the Chair and Vice-Chair for the Ornamental Horticulture Council.

AgGateway also announced the following 2013 meeting information:
AgGateway 2013 Mid-Year Meeting — June 17-20, 2013; John Deere Financial Facility, Johnston, Iowa
2013 AgGateway Annual Meeting & Conference — November 12-14, 2013; Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, St. Petersburg, Florida