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Congress Gets Headlines...
Global flavor sweetens as international farm event nears
IFMA Congress to jump-start with international perspective
IFMA tours will showcase Illinois farms, technology
Public invited to international agriculture event
Former NPB president putting pork production on display
Volunteers working to make IFMA Congress a success
Welcome to IFMA17, the International Farm Management Congress. And welcome to America’s Heartland.
Your hosts are the members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and the entire membership of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
Your host cities are Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, and they are ready to roll out the red carpet in welcoming you when you come to visit in July 2009.
The International Farm Management Association asked the Illinois Society to become involved with this Congress over four years ago. Since that time the members and officers of the organization have been working at develop a program that really does promise to be a once-in-a-career event….from the speakers to the tours to the hospitality.
The Pre-Congress tours will give delegates an opportunity to see the tremendous geographic diversity of Illinois as well as witness first-hand the diversity of agriculture in the “Land of Lincoln.”
Agriculture: Food, Fiber and Energy for the Future
The activities of the Congress will offer a breadth of speaker presentations that will be unmatched by any other gathering of this type. Leaders of the industry will come together at the Illinois State University campus to share with you the latest in technology, policy, and world activities focused on the three elements of the theme – Food, Fiber and Energy. You will also hear from practicing farm managers from both the United States and Canada and from around the world.
The ISU Campus also offers state-of-the-art facilities for those involved with the presentation of papers.
On top of all this, the organizers of the Congress have assembled a group of Day Tours that will make it difficult for delegates to pick and choose which they want to take. There are activities involving research, new technologies, agricultural infrastructures, manufacturing, and, of course, dusty-boots tours of actual working farms across Central Illinois hosted by the owners and operators themselves.
Your host members of the Illinois Society are anxious to show off their state. There will be members available to delegates throughout the Congress and on every motor coach on the Day Tours to answer any questions you may have about the agriculture and the culture of the Midwest that you will see. You will likely get a sense of personal pride as they answer your questions and guide you through the events of the day.
While At the Congress
Meals
Most of the Congress hotels provide a morning breakfast Monday-Friday.
Meals included with the full Congress registration include:
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday luncheons as well as morning and afternoon break refreshments for delegates at the proceedings;
- Lunches on all Accompanying Person and day tours; bottled water will be available on all motor coaches.
- Tuesday and Thursday evening banquets.
- Dining on Monday and Wednesday evenings will be on your own. Local merchants and restaurants will be providing special discount coupons to use at their establishments.
(Note: This will be July in the Midwest, so plan on possibly very warm temperatures (80-90 degrees Farenheit) and high humidy. All motor coaches will have air conditioning and the ISU campus facilities will be air conditioned.)
Dress for delegates attending the proceedings at the ISU campus (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) will be business-casual.
Dress for those participating on the day tours will be outdoor-casual. Note the restrictions on attire for those attending the tour at Deere & Company.
Dress for Accompanying Persons tours – summer-casual
Tuesday Banquet – Informal evening attire (i.e. sport jackets for men, ties optional.)
Thursday International Farewell Banquet – Evening attire (i.e. sport jackets and ties for men) or national costume.
Come Early and Stay Later
2009 will mark the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. As such, there will be a great many activities going on around the state and region in celebration of his life and legacy. Delegates on the Pre-Congress tour will be able to tour the President Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library in nearby Springfield.
And, there is always Chicago!
So, if you have the time, please give some thought to arriving in Illinois early and staying a little later after the Congress ends. There will be a lot do to and see!
IFMA17 announces a partnership with RightRisk to offer a pre-Congress conference, "Tools for Risk Management Educators" as part of the Congress to be held July 19 - 24, 2009 in Bloomington, IL. This pre-Congress program will not only provide participants an overview of three, innovative RightRisk educational products, but also to provide the tools necessary to allow participants to make similar presentations to clients back home. Products selected for presentation have been used extensively with audiences across the United States. The approach used will be hands-on and interactive in nature."Tools for Risk Management Educators" will present Risk Navigator-SRM - a 10-step strategic risk management process; Ag Survivor - a farm risk simulation helping participants explore risk management options for typical western U.S. farms/ranches; and Feasibility of Alternative Rural Enterprises - a course to help operators explore new enterprises and business opportunities.
Please visit http://eRightRisk.com for more information on the pre-conference sessions, to reserve a space at the conference, or to learn more about risk management tools and programs offered by RightRisk.
For more information, contact ispfmra@countryside-marketing.com