Join your colleagues for a very full day and a-half of touring, learning, gabbing and just plain having a good time in the Decatur/Assumption/Pano area on August 9-10. You can register and pay online using the form at the bottom of this page. Or you can print the PDF version of our agenda and registration form and mail us a check.
2018 ISPFMRA Summer Tour Agenda
Thursday, August 9
(All tour activities will begin and end at the Decatur Conference Center, 4191 US Hwy 36 West, Decatur, IL)
• Ingram’s Soil Testing Lab, Sullivan, IL
Ingram’s Soil Testing Center has been providing quality soil sampling and testing services to clients in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri since 1979. Their services include taking GPS soil samples, testing soil for nutrients, creating field map books and fertilizer spread maps. Introduction of the Global Positioning System during the early 1990’s allowed to ISTC to expand the business to include quality GPS soil sampling services. The company added a second sampling and testing location in Athens, in 1996.
• DIGS Associates, Moweaqua, IL.
These are THE drainage specialist across Illinois and will be providing an up-close look at:
• Drainage History – Then and Now • Drainage Law – What’s Legal
• Drainage Materials – Evolution of Tile • Drainage Equipment – Techniques and Methods
• Comprehensive Watershed Drainage Analysis • Working with Neighbors – Mutual Mains
Lunch, courtesy of DIGS Associates, will be served at their facility.
• GSI Grain Handling Equipment Manufacturing, Assumption
This is an encore tour for the Illinois Society having been here over 10 years ago! GSI grew from a small, l;ocal provider of
corrugated steel storage bins in 1972. Today it is the world’s largest manufacturer of steel farm bins, commercial storage grain bins and grain silos providing equipment and services to customer in over 70 compines worldwide.
• Sloan’s & Sloan’s Express, Assumption, IL.
No matter what the ag product or its color, Sloan Express rightfully calls itself America’s Ag Parts Supplier. Selling directly to farmers, implement dealers and repair shops, its catalog has over 75,000 items. Orders in by 2 p.m. ship the same date with guaranteed next-day delivery anywhere in Illinois. Could this be Ag’s version of Amazon?
• Arpeggio Winery, Pano, IL.
Arpeggion wines are wines with rhythm — Beginning in 2008, the Swiney Family planted a two-acre vineyard consisting of two varieties, Norton and Traminette. Their journey from grapes to wine has led them to the restoration of their centuryold barn called Arpeggio Winery. All of the wines are named after musical terms. Tonight you can sample some of their wines and relax to a specially-catered dinner.
Friday, August 10
• Marketing with ADM
Breakfast with guest speaker — A plated breakfast will be served following by a presentation from Sam Elmore, a merchandiser with ADM. He will review his role in buying whole trains, getting them loaded and shipped across the U.S.
• ADM’s Railyard — A behind-the-scenes tour
The group will travel by motor coach (no private vehicles allowed) to the ADM railyard and intermodal yard with a presentation on the day-to-day management of the facility including plant switching, rail car storage and contractor relations. Your host will be Gary Davis, senior operations manager ADM Rail.
ISPFMRA Summer 2018 Tour Committee: Roger Leach, AFM, AAC, CCA; Keith Waterman, AFM, ALC; Max Hendrickson; and Brady Evans and Brad Davis, both with U.S. Bank Farm Management.