Local bank sponsors agricultural business conference

MENDOTA, Ill. — The 26th annual First State Bank Ag Conference, a special forum for area farmers, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 22 at the Mendota Civic Center, 1901 Tom Merwin Drive, Mendota.

Starting the program will be Matthew Friedlein, science and operations officer for the National Weather Service office in the Quad Cities.

Friedlein is a 2000 graduate of Mendota High School and will return to share some seasonal predictions as it relates to the growing season, as well as show weather resources for farmers, including weather safety in the field.

Following Friedlein will be Adam Betancourt, manager of customer risk at Archer Daniels Midland Company. For the past eight years, he has been working in the agriculture derivatives space with a specialization in over-the-counter-derivatives.

Keynote speaker David Kohl, professor emeritus at Virginia Tech, is back by popular demand. He will engage the audience in “Managing in Economic Chaos.”

Kohl is an academic Hall of Famer in the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech. He has keen insight into the ag industry gained through extensive travel, research and involvement in ag businesses.

He has traveled over 10 million miles, conducted more than 7,000 presentations and published more than 2,500 articles in his career.

Kohl’s wisdom and engagement with all levels of the industry provide a unique perspective into future trends.

Contact the First State Bank ag department at 815-539-3834 or sign up at firststatebank.biz by Jan. 17 to reserve a seat.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the first speaker will start at 10 a.m. First State Insurance will be supplying coffee and doughnuts.

ADM Grain Co. and Heuber LLC are sponsoring the noon luncheon. Clifton Larson Allen is sponsoring the soda.

Door prizes are being provided by several area businesses, including Beck Oil Co., Cantlin Law Firm, Chris Eller — the Retirement Specialists, Dinges Fire Co., Earlville Cold Storage Locker, Earlville Farmers Coop, Foster’s Tax & Accounting LLC, Guilfoyle & Stevenson Law Firm, Hornung Tiling Inc., LaPrairie Mutual Insurance, Leffelman & Associates, Leone Grain & Supply, Maplehurst Farms, Mendota Mutual Insurance, Meriden Grain — Pioneer Seed, Northern Partners Cooperative, Prescott Brothers Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Schimmer Automotive Group, Sublette Farmers Elevator Co., Sublette Mechanical, Sun Ag Inc., Troy Grove Coop, Vaessen Bros. Chevrolet, Vaessen Implement & Repair, and West Brooklyn Farmers Coop.