Montana Grain
Growers Association
49th Annual MGGA Convention (Tentative Schedule)

December 1 - 3, 2004   Best Western Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Montana

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

3:00 - 7:00 pm Exhibitor Set-up

7:00 pm  Exhibitor Appreciation Reception -Sponsored by Northern Ag Network

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

6:45 am    MGGA Board Meeting

7:30 - 9:00 am Welcome Breakfast

 - Great Falls Mayor Randy Gray
 - Montana Governor Judy Martz
 - Governor Elect
 - U.S. Congressman Dennis Rehberg

9:00 - 10:00 am  Perspective on U.S. and International Market Influences

   - Al Pell, Ag Day TV Host
   - Jim Bower, Bower Trading, Ag Day TV Market Analyst

10:00 - 11:00 am Trade Show Opens/Trade Show Break

10:00 - 12:00 pm State Hail Board Meeting

11:00 - 12:00 pm “1031 Tax-Free Exchange--Buy, Sell, Trade--Airplanes, Tractors, Land and Other Stuff ”

 - Max Hansen, American Equity Exchange

11:00 - 12:00 pm State Fund Ag Safety Workshop-Les Graham

11:00 - 12:00 pm Conservation Security Program Update -NRCS

12:00 - 1:30 pm  Lunch -Live broadcast with KMON Radio

 - Chouteau Cty. Milling & Baking Contest
 - Winner Recognition
 - U.S. Senator Conrad Burns

1:30 - 2:30 pm NAWG, NBGA, USWA Reports

1:30 - 2:30 pm Montana Dept. of Ag--“What We Do For You”

2:30 - 3:30 pm Trade Show Break

3:30 - 5:30 pm MGGA Committee Meetings

6:00 pm  Prairie Heritage Evening -High Plains Heritage Center

Thursday, December 2, 2004

7:30 - 9:00 am Breakfast Buffet

8:00 - 9:00 am “Megaforces of Agriculture” -David Kohl, Virginia Tech

9:00 - 10:00 am  Trade Show Break

10:00 - 11:00 am Montana Wheat & Barley Committee Program

11:00 - 12:00 pm MSU Breakout Sessions

11:00 - 12:00 pm “The Importance of Wheat End-Use Functionality in      Export Markets” -Brian Sorenson, NCI

12:00 - 1:30 pm  Lunch with Agribusiness Partners. Hosted by the Montana
  Agricultural Business Association

 - Live radio broadcast with Northern Ag Network

 - U.S. Senator Max Baucus

 - Exhibitor Presentations

 - What’s New With Agribusiness-MABA

1:30 - 2:30 pm “The Green War: Recruiting the Public”

 - Colleen Tigges, Eat First!

1:30 - 3:30 pm “Estate Planning”-Marsha Goetting, MSU Ag Economist

2:30 - 5:00 pm MGGA Resolutions

5:30 - 7:00 pm MSU College of Ag Reception
7:00 pm  President’s Banquet-Entertainment by The Ringling 5

Friday, December 3, 2004

8:00 am  Exhibitor Tear Down

9:00 am  MGGA Board Meeting

Speaker Highlights:
Wednesday’s keynote speakers come straight to us from Ag Day Television. Sharing their perspective of U.S. and international market influences, both Al Pell and Jim Bower combine their market and agribusiness savvy, leaving the listener with straightforward and up-to-the-minute market information. Also on Wednesday morning, Max Hansen, of American Equity Exchange, will shed light on the flexibility and power of a 1031 Tax-Free Exchange. He’ll share how to defer or avoid capital gain taxes, earn 5% to 8% after expenses on Real Estate and possibly adjust passive income or passive losses annually.

Wednesday morning is rounded out by Les Graham ’s State Fund Ag Safety Workshop and the latest on the Conservation Security Program.

Wednesday afternoon convention-goers can attend annual Association Updates from NAWG, NBGA, USWA, and this year, the Montana Department of Ag will add updates as well. Following the MGGA Committee Meetings, don’t forget to join us at the High Plains Heritage Center for Prairie Heritage Evening.

Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech, opens our Thursday morning convention line-up. Specializing in business management and ag finance, having conducted more than 3200 workshops and seminars for ag groups, author of 4 books and over 400 articles on financial and business-related topics, Dr. Kohl is well prepared to reveal the “Megaforces of Agriculture.”

Jim Christianson.  The Montana Wheat & Barley Committee’s hour belongs to Jim Christianson, long-time Executive Vice-President, who retired this year. Jim’s quick wit and deep knowledge of the grain industry assures a memorable farewell presentation.

Brian Sorenson.  The Technical Director of the Northern Crops Institute, caps our Thursday morning program with “The Importance of Wheat End-Use Functionality in Export Markets.” Sorenson has served on the U.S. Wheat Crop Quality Teams in Asia, Europe and South/Latin America, and will have just returned from another European trip.

Colleen Tigges.  An activist in support of high-yield agriculture, Colleen Tigges, Communications Director of the Eat First Foundation, will focus her presentation on educating the public about the myth and misinformation that has shaped public opinion on matters concerning the environment, especially as it relates to agriculture. Her presentation, “The Green War: Recruiting the Public,” is one you won’t want to miss.

MGGA Resolutions, followed by the MSU College of Ag Reception, round out Thursday’s convention day. Be sure to stick around though, The President’s Banquet is sure to be a feast fit for a king. Then, get ready to relax and laugh with entertainment from the Ringling 5 (or are there 7?), back by popular demand.