WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. —The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) will host its 45th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade show Dec. 11 - 13 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

The conference will focus on real-world issues that country elevators face on a daily basis, with networking, educational sessions and vendor visits at the trade show accessible for NGFA member companies’ entire teams.

Among featured speakers at this year’s conference are Michael Swanson, senior vice-president and agricultural economist for Wells Fargo and Co., who will examine current business and economic trends and their impacts on business strategy; Bernice Slutsky, senior vice-president of domestic and international policy at the American Seed Trade Association, who will focus on innovations in plant breeding technologies and their potential impact on the grain handling system; Mark Jewell, president of Mark Jewell Speaking and Training, who will discuss the importance of embracing generational differences to agribusiness success; and Tom Coyle, general manager of Nidera US LLC, who will explain the process for delivering grain to satisfy outstanding futures contracts.

The event includes a full day of interactive breakout sessions led by industry experts with NGFA members and staff, as well as nightly receptions, including one geared toward NGFA’s NextGen program, a National Grain and Feed Foundation raffle and the NGFA’s first photography contest. Further, sessions at the conference will qualify for Continuing Education Units through Kansas State University.

For more information or to register for the event, click here