LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 2025 National Farm Machinery Show will offer more than 25 free seminars and events at this year’s show.  

The sessions in South Wing B and C meeting rooms will highlight insights and strategies from industry experts, covering everything from global markets and weather outlooks to cutting-edge agronomy and tech solutions. 

Travis Coleman, Southern Indiana Agronomist with Beck’s, will discuss the progress made in dealing with tar spot in corn.

 “Tar spot has been around for a long time,” Coleman said. “It came out of Mexico and has been in the U.S. for six to eight years. It first cropped up in northern Indiana, spread into northern Illinois and spread into Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska before creeping south. Southern Indiana has had to deal with tar spot the past four years.”

 According to the entomology department at Purdue University, tar spot was first confirmed in northwest Indiana in 2015 and the first significant yield-reducing event of the disease was observed in 2018. Tar spot is a headache for farmers as this fungus can result in corn yields losses uppwards of 60 bushels per acre. In addition, severe infection can reduce corn stalk integrity and cause significant lodging later in the season.

“We’re still learning about tar spot,” Coleman said. “As a major seed company in the ag industry, we’re continuing to add more information to control and combat tar spot. At the show I will share with attendees the successes we’ve had in dealing with tar spot, but we’ll also remind those that every growing season is different.”

 Beck’s representatives will discuss tar spot on Feb. 12 at South Wing B 103.

 Dan Janzen, executive director of Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International will be at his organization’s booth each day at 8 a.m.

 With farming comes lots of stress, uncertainty and worries. Organizers of the Illinois-based Fellow of Christian Farmers, International (FCFI) will be on hand to offer “Stability & Hope in an Unstable Time.”

 “Our objective is to be an encouragement to the farming community,” Janzen said.

 The organization has been around since 1985.

 “Back in 1985 there was a lot of farmers stressed out over losing their farms,” Janzen said. “Many of them were advised to keep expanding during a time when there was a crash in commodity prices. That was poor advice. FCFI wants to reach out to farmers to this day, anytime they’re feeling the stress of their job. We want to be their beacon of light and hope. We want to help them with their spiritual growth.

 “If you ask any farmer today what they were doing in 1985, with stunning detail they can tell you what a bad time that year was. There was high interest rates and an overall bad economy.”

 FCFI made its first appearance at a soybean conference in Illinois in 1985 and has since made appearances nationally and abroad. In the U.S. this past year, the group attended many different farm-related conferences and farm shows across the nation. Members of FCFI even attended 25 state FFA conferences. Abroad the group has made mission trips in New Zealand, Philippines, Albania, Romania, Russia, Mexico and Africa.

 “We have the names of 10,000 farmers in our database so we’re reaching out to many farmers who are in need,” Janzen said.

 The FCFI offers a free “Wordless Walking Stick” as a gift to anyone stopping by their booth. At times the group offers free garden seeds, hand-made pot holders and other mementos.

 “When you’re a visitor at a farm show you need free stuff, and ours is a walking stick,” Janzen said.

 At the handle of each stick are five colored beads (gold, black, red, white and green), with each color representing a spiritual message.

 FCFI will be found in the South Wing C 106 each day of the show starting at 8 a.m.

 DTN Lead Marketing Analyst Rhett Montgomery will discuss the Global Commodity Market. 

 “Farmers face challenges from a profitability standpoint, for sure,” Montgomery said. “Unfortunately, up until now commodity prices haven’t afforded much opportunity for gain from crops that were harvested in 2024. This spring we’ll be on the cusp of being at the break-even point.

 “I will also discuss why corn has been on the upswing since this past fall, and why much hinges on corn production in South America. All eyes will be on Brazil, as that nation is among the largest producers of soybeans and corn. What happens in South America will have price implications here. We’ll explain what a corn shortage in South America means for U.S. corn prices this summer.” 

 Weather is most always unpredictable and DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick will attest to that. During his Weather Outlook discussions Baranick will explain that while weather is unpredictable, predicting weather patterns this spring and summer might be a bit more predictable.

 “The reason for the weather being sporadic is the lack of our main climate drivers, La Nina and El Nina,” Baranick said. “Much of last year we were in a neutral weather pattern as there was nothing solidly driving our weather, but here in January we’ve seen La Nina take shape and that will be our driver for the next few months. We’ll have a better idea what to expect weather-wise.

 Baranick will also talk about long-range weather outlooks and give attendees a look at what to expect.

 “We will be able to explain to farmers why we can expect above or below normal temperature ranges, as well as above or below normal rainfall expectations.”

 Discussions on the global commodity market and weather outlook for 2025 will be held Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 2:30-3:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13 from 8:30-10 a.m. and Friday from 10-11 a.m. at South Wing C 104.

 And there are many more. Farm Progress will offer the following presentations: Automation on the Farm, Drones, Machinery Market Outlook, Equipment Market Outlook, Automation and AI in Agriculture. Farm Progress will present in South Wing B 104.

 Beck’s Hybrids will offer suggestions on how to fine-tune a sprayer pass and discuss if a spray drone is as effective as a ground rig for fungicide applications. Beck’s presenters will examine multi-location data comparing a spray drone to a ground rig and their effects on yield and return-on-investment. The Beck’s Agronomy Team will discuss free and low cost management options to maximize one’s return on investment. Finally, Beck’s will offer an Agronomy Roundtable and allow visitors to get personal with their Practical Farm Research and Agronomy experts. Beck’s will present in South B Wing 103.

 Novonesis, a global biotechnology company which specializes in enzymes, proteins and micro-organisms, will discuss the bio solutions in animal health, the supercharge nitrogen fixation in soybeans, and ways to have power yields in every acre. Novonesis will present in South Wing C 101.

 If cover crops are your forte, when you’ll want to sit and listen to a panel of invited industry guests as they discuss Successful Cover Crop Strategies: From Carbon Capture to Farm Program Benefits. This presentation will be held in South Wing C 104.

For a complete look at the seminars, locations and times visit https://farmmachineryshow.org/about/seminars