Commodity Classic’s pivot from a live show—originally scheduled to take place in San Antonio— to a digital online format has created some unique opportunities, according to the two farmers who are co-chairing the 2021 Special Edition of Commodity Classic.
The 2021 Special Edition of Commodity Classic features more than 50 educational sessions that will be delivered digitally direct to farmers across the nation and around the world March 2-5, 2021. Registration is open at CommodityClassic.com and the first 5,000 farmers to register can do so at no charge.
Anthony Bush, an Ohio corn farmer and co-chair of the 2021 Commodity Classic, said this year’s digital event provides a platform for the event to bring together top agribusiness executives for a series of live, first-ever Executive Roundtables. “We will hear from CEOs from various stakeholders in our industry. I'm not sure what other venue would exist that we would be able to do this. I think that's going to be pretty exciting to get their perspective on what's going on in our industry right now.”
Brad Doyle, an Arkansas soybean farmer and co-chair of the 2021 Commodity Classic, noted that Commodity Classic is created by farmers, for farmers.“ It separates us from just a media-based platform or an industry-based platform because Commodity Classic is farmer-led and farmer-focused. The message is just more sincere and more honest that we, as farmers, get to choose the program, what's in the program, who our speakers are, what content we have.”
Doyle added that each year, the farmer committee develops the entire Commodity Classic agenda, including the selection of the educational sessions. “We want this information, too. We want to hear from the speakers. We look at it that way—create a program that will help our fellow farmers. That's the great thing about this show.”
Bush said that in a year of incredible challenge, the education at Commodity Classic is more valuable than ever before. “There is so much going on right now in agriculture, just like any other year; but this year the marketing trends can make you or break you right now,” he said. “It's the same way with the equipment purchases and decisions. The people you will be available to connect with at Commodity Classic will be incredibly valuable. I'm really looking forward to it.”
Premier Sponsors of the 2021 Special Edition of Commodity Classic are AGCO, Bayer, Case IH, Corteva Agriscience, John Deere and United Soybean Board/Soy Checkoff.
Champion Sponsors are BASF and Syngenta. Key Sponsors are Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Kubota, New Holland, Pioneer, Precision Planting and Valent U.S.A.
Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is presented annually by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
