Omaha: Wherever You Are, You’re Not Too Far

The Association returns to Omaha in April for the 2018 Supply Summit & Showcase. The city consistently draws standout participation from members because it is centrally located, easy to reach by air, and near a series of distribution points for members’ products.

The Summit, which is April 18 to 20 at the Hilton Omaha, is packed with information you’ve told us you want. We’ve assembled a cast of experts to talk with you about what to expect next in the agriculture economy, how to respond to shifts in the product distribution landscape, and trends in manufacturing automation.

Beyond those general session speakers, we’ve booked a series of breakout-session speakers to focus on tax reform, proposed rules for association health care coverage, and product safety programs that can improve user safety and reduce the potential for liability. The Tillage Council has again booked a speaker to focus on issues important to this segment of the industry.

The spring meeting is built upon providing opportunities to form manufacturer-supplier partnerships. A Supplier Product Showcase is at the heart of the meeting, but it is surrounded by opportunities for members to get to know one another—and talk through production challenges—on the golf course, the shooting range, or while exploring Omaha’s night life.

You’ll learn more about speakers in coming issues of Shortliner and Ag Innovator magazine, which mails to you next week. In this issue, we introduce the people who will present during our general sessions and tell you a bit about what they’ll cover in Omaha.

Automation in Manufacturing

Mark Sumner from Acieta will join us to discuss automation in manufacturing. He is national sales manager for Acieta, a company with operations in nearby Council Bluffs, Iowa, that has installed more than 4,200 robotic systems in North America.
After Sumner’s talk at 10 a.m. Friday, attendees will cross the Missouri River for a plant tour at Acieta.

Agriculture Economy
Jim Mintert, Ph.D., is a professor and extension economist in the Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics. He directs Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and leads the team that produces the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.  He will share with members in Omaha a data analysis as well as personal insights into what lies ahead for the agriculture economy.
Mintert speaks at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Challenges in Product Distribution
Doug Griffin (right) and George Russell will team up to discuss what’s happening in the farm equipment marketplace and how members can respond.
Russell is the founder of Machinery Advisors Consortium, which provides consulting, training, and coaching to dealer groups.
Griffin is a principal at Context Network, a
global agribusiness consulting firm. He has worked in the agriculture industry for 30 years.
Both men have been well-received at Association meetings in the past. They speak during the luncheon and keynote presentation at noon on Thursday.

Plant Tours

Take a look inside Acieta in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This industrial automation plant has installed more than 4,200 robotics systems in manufacturing plants in North America. The tour follows a presentation from Acieta's national sales manager, Mark Sumner.

Or, tour CLAAS of America, where the LEXION combine is assembled.

​Both tours are 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

Association staff wants to help you make the most of the Supply Summit. Call with questions at (314) 878-2304, or go to our always-changing meeting web site.