By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A speaker series highlighting top-of-mind issues facing the agriculture sector are on the agenda for Chatham-Kent’s Farm Show to be held Jan. 29-30.
It’s all part and parcel of the annual event at the John D. Bradley Centre in Chatham that’s marking its 10th anniversary this year.
Speakers include Jordan Wallace, an advanced solutions technology specialist with GPS Ontario. Wallace will talk on Optimizing Your Fields: Practical Land Forming Solutions for Enhanced Soil Health and Crop Yield.
How the Trump 2025 trade wars may impact Canadian agriculture is the subject that Moe Agostino will delve into. Agostino has 42 plus years’ experience in trading markets, commodity risk management and marketing. He has spent the last 20 years with Farms.com risk management.
Andres Hurtado, co-founder of agriculture drone service company Terranova UAV will also take to the podium to discuss how the latest technology can assist farmers in all aspects of their operations.
The entrepreneur holds a chemical engineering degree, along with a master’s degree in business from the Ivey business school.
Senior Farm Credit Corporation economist Justin Shepherd will also speak touching on the latest in economics. The Saskatchewan native is part of a team specializing in monitoring agricultural production and analyzing global supply and demand trends.
Shawn Brenneman, an Ontario provincial soil and crop director, along with St. Clair Regional Soil and Crop directors, will present the organization’s annual general meeting.
Founded in 1939, the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association is a grassroots not-for-profit farm organization. The association is represented by more than 50 local county and district branches within 11 regions of the province, with a dedicated membership and has significant representation in all commodity groups.
According to farm show sales and marketing representative Sarah Casella, in addition to speakers, the show will again offer the “latest and greatest” developments in the farm and agriculture industries with some 125 exhibitors participating.
Admission to the show is $10 per person with free admission for age 16 and under.
The show is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 29 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30.
For a full list of exhibitors and to find out the schedule for the speaker series, access chathamkentfarmshow.com/visitor-information online.
The show is presented by OP Productions owned by Courtney Brochu.
