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IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference Announces Speakers

The Toms will discuss how technologies keep their farm operations in Indiana connected. Tom Farms is a global production, sales and service operation, specializing in seed corn, corn and soybeans. A leading supplier of seed corn, the company is internationally known for its innovation in agricultural production.

IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference is sponsored by Platinum Sponsors - John Deere, Slingshot by Raven and AT&T. Additional sponsors include Trimble, AgIntegrated, Wells Fargo and SST Software.

"Unique to this conference is our attendees, who are top producers, are given access to thought leaders in precision agriculture, the interconnected farm, and interconnected global markets," says Ray Bianchi, Vice President of Expositions who is overseeing the event. "The essential element to our conference is to show the producer or farmer how their investment in these technologies will lead to increased yields and profitabilities per acre."

Secretary Ed Schafer will be the keynote on March 20^th. He was sworn in as the 29th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on January 28, 2008. He brings a record as an innovative two-term governor of North Dakota with extensive private sector experience as both an entrepreneur and a business executive. He is recognized for improving North Dakota's communications infrastructure.

Other speakers include Dr. Michael Boehlje, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University. He will speak on The Triple I's of Modern Agriculture: Information, Interdependency and Innovation. Dr. Boehlje is involved in teaching, research and executive education in agricultural finance, farm and business strategy and management and structural change in the agricultural industries. The major theme of his work is the importance of strategic planning and thinking, and positioning the firm for long-term success in a turbulent business climate.

Ken Eriksen, Senior Vice President, Informa Economics, will present results of a study conducted on behalf of the United Soybean Board - Roads, Rails & Rivers: The Health and Future of Domestic and Global Transportation Interconnectivity. Eriksen is the leader of Informa's transportation and logistics services. He is responsible for transportation research, service and consulting with the barge, rail and bulk commodity industries. In this capacity, he works with major U.S. providers of transportation services and shippers, especially in the areas of volume prediction and rate strategy issues.

Ted McKinney, Director, Global Corporate Affairs, Elanco Animal Health, will discuss Technology's Role in the 21^st Century: How Interconnected Agriculture Can Make Safe, Abundant Food a Global Reality. McKinney is a graduate of Purdue University. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the National FFA Convention Local Organizing Committee at National FFA Organization.

IDEAg's Interconnectivity Conference is an educational forum that provides information and allows discussion on the complexities of our interconnected age. The conference will launch March 19 in Altoona, Iowa, and run through March 21. Audience members will include farmers, producers, agribusiness leaders representing technologies that will be essential for an interconnected future. To learn more, visit www.ideaggroup.com.

IDEAg and the IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference are properties of Cygnus Business Media. The company reaches millions of professionals annually. As one of America's top business-to-business media companies, Cygnus is leading the way in providing targeted content to top decision-makers and organizations. The company's corporate initiatives and organizational architecture are built with one goal: fully engaging audiences in aviation, building & construction, public safety & security, and agriculture vertical markets, as well as diversified industries such as transportation, printing, accounting, and vending.

Cygnus Business Media
Kathy Scott, 770-427-5290
Kathy.Scott@cygnusb2b.com