Dear Growers:

You are invited to attend this year’s Prairie Grains Conference. Last year over 600 people attended the event, and we expect many to come back this year. We work hard each year to keep the program fresh. If you have not attended in the past, please consider it this year. Check out the great program!

Registration is complimentary to members of any of the six partnering organizations who attend this conference. Registration for non-members is $20.

Please join us on December 9 & 10, 2009 in Grand Forks.

Wheat and Northern Soybean Leadership Program -- Growers who have an interest in getting involved in order to make a difference in their industry are invited to participate in the Leadership Program on December 9th. Pre-register for the Leadership Program and receive complimentary hotel accommodations at the Canad Inn in Grand Forks on December 9th. Pre-register by calling the Wheat Office at 800-242-6118 extension 13. There are a limited number of open spots in this program.

Business Meetings and Pre-Conference Banquet -- MAWG, MSGA, MBGA, NDGGA, NDBC and NCTC-FBM members, exhibitors and sponsors are invited to attend our “Business Meetings and Pre-Conference Banquet” on December 9th.  An RSVP for the banquet is required. Please call the MAWG office to RSVP (800-242-6118, ext. 13). Non-members can purchase banquet tickets for $25.

NDGGA Annual Meeting -- The North Dakota Grain Growers will have their Annual meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the Oriole Room. Resolutions recommendations will be conducted at this meeting

MAWG Resolutions Committee -- The MAWG’s Resolutions Committee will meet at 2:00 p.m. in the Pheasant Room at the Alerus Center on December 9th. The Resolutions Committee will consider any new or amended resolutions. Members who have resolutions recommendations should plan on attending and presenting them at this meeting.

MAWG and MBGA Business Meeting -- The MAWG and MBGA business meetings will be conducted before dinner on December 9th at the Alerus Center. The agenda will include short updates on activities from our presidents and financial reports from our treasurers. We will also approve the MAWG resolutions at the business meeting.

MN/ND Barley Marketing Program -- Presenters at this meeting will be Al Slater, Regional Manager Barley Operations, Busch Ag; Judd Carlson, Manager, Busch Ag Malting Facility and Derek Prell, Director of Barley Procurement and Logistics, Malteurop, Milwaukee. Invited: Ralph Judd, VP Supply, North America.

Minnesota Soybean Growers Member -- The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association will meet with their northern soybean members to discuss policy issues and program activities at 2:00 p.m. at the Alerus Center.

Pre-Conference Banquet - Featuring Rick Browne, Senior Vice President, CHS

Wednesday, December 9

9:30 a.m. -- Welcome by Wheat and Soybean Leaders

10:00 a.m. – Meridian Technology Tour

11:45 a.m. -- Lunch

12:15 p.m. -- Luncheon Speaker, Kevin Paap, President, Minnesota Farm Bureau

12:30 p.m. -- Benefits and How to become and Get Involved as an Active Member

1:00 p.m. -- ND Barley County Representative Meeting

2:00 p.m. -- MAWG Resolutions Committee Meeting, Small Grains Research & Communications Mtg., Northern Minnesota Soybean Meeting

2:00 p.m. – Minnesota/North Dakota Barley Marketing Program

4:00 p.m. -- Social Break

4:00 p.m. – NDGGA Annual Meeting

5:00 p.m. -- Wheat Growers and Barley Growers Annual Meeting

6:15 p.m. -- Reception

6:45 p.m. – Banquet

7:30 p.m. – Banquet Speakers

Rick Browne, Senior Vice President, CHS Inc. Also speaking, a Senior Representative of Bayer CropScience

Wrap-up, Hospitality Rooms following the banquet

Thursday, December 10

6:30 a.m. -- Registration (all day) and Breakfast

7:15 a.m. – Wheat and Soybean Research Reporting Sessions

9:30 a.m. -- Market Update -- RRFN

9:45 a.m. -- Weather Outlook and Projections for 2010 Leon Osborne, President and CEO of Meridian Environmental Technology

10:15 a.m. -- Q and A

10:30 a.m. -- Global Business Outlook: Sustainable Growth or a False Recovery Vince Malanga, President & Chief Operations Officer, LaSalle Economics Inc

11:00 a.m. -- Break

11:20 a.m. -- Breakout Sessions

12:00 p.m. -- Lunch Buffet in the Arena followed by Dessert Break in Exhibit Hall

1:15 p.m. -- Drawing and Announcements in General Session Room

1:30 p.m. -- Opportunities from Renewed Investment in Wheat Sean Gardner, Global Wheat Lead, Monsanto

2:15 p.m. -- Final Sessions - Concurrent Sessions

Grain Marketing is Simple Managing Important Soybean Diseases New Fertility and Fertilizer Technology

3:15 p.m. -- Exhibition Hall – Closing Reception

THURSDAY BREAKOUT SESSIONS

11:20 a.m. -- MN and ND Crop Budgets Randy Zimmerman and Mike Lockhart, NCTC Farm Business Management

Tax Information You Need to Know for 2009 Greg Kalinoski and Greg Dvergsten, NCTC Farm Business Management

The Future Opportunities in Biofuels Michael Sparby, Agriculture Utilization Research Institute

Customizable Soil Maps from the Internet Manuel Matos, NRCS, USDA

Increasing Wheat Protein with Late Season N Applications Jochum Wiersma, U of M Extension

Wheat Protein – Why It’s Important to Bakers Brian Sorenson, Northern Crops Institute

Demand Outlook for Northern Soybean and Wheat BNSF Railroad

THURSDAY FINAL SESSIONS

2:15 p.m. -- Grain Marketing is Simple Ed Usset, Grain Marketing Specialist, U of M

2:15 p.m. -- Managing Important Soybean Diseases Dean Malvick, Department of Plant Pathology, U of M - Invited

2:15 p.m. -- What’s New in Fertility and Fertilizer Technology Kevin Poppel, MOSAIC Kyle Schafer and Ryan Anderson, CHS Ag Services

2:15 p.m. -- MN Crop Improvement Meeting

Pre-register by calling the Wheat office at 1-800-242-6118, ext. 13 or go online at www.smallgrains.org. Register before November 30th and you will be eligible to win one of three $100 VISA gift cards. You must be present to win.