By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Agribusiness professionals attending the biennial National Conference for Agribusiness at Purdue University on Nov. 16-17 can expect a packed program featuring several high-profile speakers.

And, it’s not too late to sign up. “This is a really neat offering,” said Megan Sheridan, marketing manager for the Purdue Center for Food and Agricultural Business, which hosts the conference. “A lot of times when you go to a conference, you just sit in a room and listen to a speaker, but this gives you an opportunity to share ideas with peers as well.”

The conference is geared toward professionals from all facets of the industry, including agricultural retailers, seed manufacturers and distributors, crop protection companies, communications and marketing firms, farm equipment manufacturers and dealers, animal health organizations and food manufacturers and processors.

The event highlights current topics and relevant research for the agribusiness sector, and typically draws approximately 200 participants from across the country.

“When that many like-minded people are in a room, the possibility of getting something good out of it is incredible,” said April Sauer, the center’s managing director, in a statement.

Sheridan added, “The conference is relevant to anyone, from those who are just getting into a small management role, up to the executives. The topics are relevant to anyone who’s thinking about the current issues and challenges in the industry.”

The theme of this year’s conference is “Growth and Innovation” and the speakers will cover topics such as focusing on one’s core business, discovering new ways to increase sales and recruiting and retaining workers from the Millennial Generation.

The speakers include Purdue faculty as well as industry experts, and the program also features several panel discussions.

Gebisa Ejeta, Purdue distinguished professor of agronomy and 2009 World Food Prize winner, will deliver the keynote address on how agribusinesses can help revitalize agricultural research to improve the lives of the one billion people who still suffer chronic hunger. The idea of sustainability will also play a key role during the conference.

“Right now, the word sustainability has a negative connotation within agriculture, and part of what we want to do is remove that connotation and approach the idea of a sustainable business as an opportunity,” Sheridan said.

“We chose the overall theme of growth and innovation because we’re coming off of the last two or three years of recession, which has been very challenging for producers. We know that companies are looking to grow their business in new and exciting ways, but they also face challenges of sustainability, not just from an environmental standpoint but also from the standpoint of their business activity, like research and development, operational procedures and even promotional campaigns,” Sheridan added.
The National Conference for Agribusiness at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus runs from 8 a.m. EST on Nov. 16 to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 17.

The cost to attend is $895, which includes program materials, refreshments and some meals. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, call 765-494-4247, or visit www.agecon.purdue.edu/cab/programs/nca