2025 MN Ag Expo gets all gears turning with packed agenda

2025 MN Ag Expo gets all gears turning with packed agenda

Once the combine is in post-harvest hibernation mode, it’s time for farmers to rest their bodies and refuel their minds.

There’s no better place to replenish ag knowledge than at the MN Ag Expo held Jan. 22-23, 2025, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato.

“We are setting the bar high with this year’s MN Ag Expo lineup,” Darin Johnson, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) president, said. “From setting the stage for our new farmers to making sure our farmers have what they need to be safe and successful, we’re making this a one-stop shop for farmers statewide.”

With a recently announced jam-packed agenda that puts new and seasoned farmers top of mind, MN Ag Expo has earned its name as Minnesota’s marquee winter agricultural gathering.

The annual trade show and conference co-hosted by MSGA and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA), opens Jan. 21 with the second-annual MN Young and Emerging Farmers Workshop, an invite-only opportunity for those new in the industry to network and grow their knowledge of business in agriculture that follows with an opening reception at 7:30 p.m. to welcome all Expo attendees from across Minnesota.

The first full day of events includes the continuation of the MN Young and Emerging Farmers Workshop, the opening of the trade show, CPR Training, a panel of commissioners from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and a session covering SoyFoam, a PFAS-free firefighting foam. MCGA is also holding its annual meeting at 8 a.m. on Jan. 23, followed by its annual auction and reception at 3:30 p.m.

The day is capped off with keynote speaker Rob Sharkey, better known as The Shark Farmer, who will share the triumphs and struggles of the modern farmer. Sharkey created one of agriculture’s most successful media companies, including nine seasons and counting of SharkFarmer TV.

The momentum sticks around for day two of MN Ag Expo. MSGA delegates will gather in the morning for the organization’s annual meeting, followed by breakout sessions that tackle mental health, and markets and economics, paired with expert in navigating market uncertainty: Greg Peterson, better known as “Machinery Pete.”A seasoned expert in the industry – Peterson has been researching and analyzing machinery auction prices since 1989 – Machinery Pete will help farmers strategize and get the most bang for their buck.

Register for MN Ag Expo and find the full agenda here.