Farm Forum-Tuesday, March 7th
Agriculture trade programs and their effects on the farm economy and small business will be the focus of the 32nd Annual Farm Forum to be held at 6:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 7 at Perkins Restaurant in McPherson. Speaker at the breakfast meeting will be McPherson area farmer Adam Baldwin. Baldwin is currently serving on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and is completing five years on the U.S. Grains Council, which is tasked with developing markets for U.S. grain across the globe. He has held leadership positions on both boards and currently serves on the Grains Council Asia Team, representing grain sorghum. In that role, he has gone on two trade missions to China and hosted groups of foreign grain buyers at his farm.
“When trade works, the world wins,” Baldwin said. “International trade has become somewhat a negative term in the United States in the current political climate. But, U.S. and Kansas agriculture needs to move grain oversees to maintain profitability. When farm profits are depressed, particularly in a state like Kansas, it directly affects Main Street. Whether you are a farmer or not, you are affected by trade.” Baldwin will discuss how trade happens and how effective overseas marketing programs work.
Recognized during the Farm Forum will be McPherson County Chamber Farm Family of the year, James Bornholdt and his son and daughter-in-law Tim and Terri Bornholdt, rural Inman. The family, along with Tim and Terri’s son, Cody and his wife, Ashley, operate a diversified grain and livestock farm. Mitz Fawl, director of the McPherson County Farm Bureau, will receive the Friend of Agriculture award for her work promoting agriculture and assistance with the Chamber Ag Committee’s Agriculture in the Classroom program, which brings agriculture into the curriculum of third and fourth grade classrooms throughout the county. In addition to the featured speaker, Becky Goss of the McPherson County Community Foundation will make a presentation regarding investing in the future of students pursuing an ag related careers
There is a cost for the presentation & breakfast. Reservations are required. Please call the Chamber office at 241-3303 by, Friday, March 3rd .