News Releases

MID-SOUTH FARM & GIN SHOW FOCUSES ON PROFITABILITY

MEMPHIS, TN (January 31, 2025) – The farm economy has been tightening for years and now, 2025 could be make or break for some farmers. With that in mind, the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is focusing on programming to help farmers find small ways to reduce expenses or increase profitability, according to the show’s director Tim Price.

“We’ve been in a cycling of tightening belts on farms and in agricultural budgets for a while now,” Price explains. “As we prepare for the 2025 crop, with low crop prices on the heels of several tight years, we are seeing intense economic pressure. While many of us would like to hold our breath and just skate through, it’s a year to look at the margins. See where we may be able to make small adjustments that can help the bottom line. We’ve got a lot of experts coming together and farmers will be able to team that with their local expertise.”

Market Forecast

There will be programs on market and price forecasts for each major crop. With crop acres still somewhat flexible for this year’s planting season, farmers may find insight helpful in pinning down final crop plans.

• Cotton is the focus Friday morning, February 28 (8:30 am) with Joe Nicosia of Louis Dreyfus Company providing his thoughts on the global market, prices and some of the supply chain factors U.S. cotton farmers may not have line of sight on.
• Corn and soybean markets take stage at 8:30 am on Saturday morning, March 1 as Richard Brock, founder of The Brock Report, will talk through key grain markets and focus in on some of the market factors that farmers in the Mid-South will want on their dashboard.
• Rice marketing and global dynamics comes into focus with a 12:30 pm session Saturday with Milo Hamilton of First Grain and John Anderson who are plugged into world markets at a depth that is unique.

Trade Outlook

The Mid-South Agricultural Trade Conference mid-day Friday will bring together experts in trade from throughout the Mid-South to discuss efforts happening in each state and on a national basis.

Dr. Andrew Muhammad, professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, spearheads the effort now in its seventh year.

“This will be something good for students, businessmen, producers, organizational leadership. And the overall angle is to really educate the public on global issues affecting agriculture,” Muhammad says. “They'll get a chance to see what various states are doing to keep US agriculture competitive and viable, not just domestically but in markets where we compete with other countries.”

Product Access & More

The gin show also provides attendees access to more than 300 exhibitors covering a myriad of products used on-farm as well as services including equipment, seed, crop protection products, etc. There are also several exhibitors who produce products for home, lifestyle, etc that relate to farm living.  

The 2025 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show will be held February 28 and March 1, 2025, at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis. Registration is available at farmandginshow.com and details on the schedule, hotels, and more will be sent to registrants.

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CLICK HERE to download the press release

Contact:  Janice Person, Grounded Communications, groundedbythefarm@gmail.com

Photos and audio file (30 sec quote from Dr. Muhammad) available by request.