Governor’s Ag Summit coming up

Jun 26, 2015

Event will run from Thursday, July 9th to Friday, July 10th

People representing South Dakota’s agriculture, government, education, finance and business will meet in Deadwood for the 2015 Governor’s Agricultural Summit, taking place Thursday, July 9^th and Friday, July 10^th.

The two-day event will feature speakers and demonstrations, including four South Dakota farmers who will sit on a speaker panel led by Denny Everson. The panelists are:

Joshua Kitzan from JHK Sheep
John and Breezy Millar, representing Millar Angus
Brad and Brittany Nussbaum from Cottonwood Ridge Dairy
Jeff and Jolene Stewart, representing Stewart’s Aronia Acres LLC

The producers will highlight their operations, what makes them unique, and how they handle such challenges as experimental crops, risk diversification, succession planning and more.

Other speaker sessions will include Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska State Department of Agriculture and Senator John Thune as they discuss trade opportunities for South Dakota agriculture in the local and global markets.

Discussion

Dr. Steve Meyer and Dr. Bent Gloy will discuss the future of South Dakota agriculture in terms of market pricing and management decisions.

Also during the summit will be the honoring of Dr. Robert Thaler as he receives the 2015 Governor’s Ag Ambassador Award.

Dr. Thaler has been the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Swine Specialist for 26 years and played important roles in securing funds for a new SDSU swine research complex. Last year he was named the Pork All American from the South Dakota Pork Producers and has served on the National Pork Board’s Swine Educators Executive Committee.

Want to go to the Governor’s Ag Summit?

Admission is free, but registration is required. For those that can’t make it but still want to take it all in, the event will be livestreamed.

Video: CEOs of the Industry – International Edition Michael Agerley | Partner, IQinAbox

In this CEOs of the Industry – International Edition, we sit down with Michael Agerley, Partner at IQinAbox, to explore how data is reshaping the future of pig production.

After more than 20 years as a veterinarian, Michael shares his unique perspective on the shift from hands-on animal care to data-driven decision making across the pork value chain.

We dive into:

• How better data is improving real on-farm decisions

• The biggest opportunities still untapped in pig production

• How Europe is leading (and where it’s still lagging) in tech adoption

• The role of AI and smart systems in the next 5–10 years

• Why trust, leadership, and practical application matter more than ever

This conversation bridges veterinary insight, technology, and real-world farming, offering a clear look at where the industry is headed—and what it will take to get there.