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Leon and Jennifer Knirk farm approximately 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat in south-central Michigan, near Coldwater. In addition, they own and manage a 500-head, Holstein feeder-to-finish operation. The Knirks like to evaluate marketing, technology and production practices that can take their farming operation to higher levels of success. This year, Leon is assessing the value of vertical tillage and devoting a 75-acre corn plot to that purpose. He also is evaluating variable rate seeding and used it to plant 1,200 acres of corn this past spring and also last year. The Knirks are the proud parents of two sons, Lincoln and Logan.

Paul is a 30-year veteran of the Chicago commodity markets, trading livestock and dairy products, as well as grains and oil seeds. Mr. Nelson has worked with and developed extensive relationships with some of the largest livestock and dairy producers in the world, as well as numerous fortune 100 companies. Paul received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; and his BA/Finance from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas and is now a director/VP of EHedger.

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Originally from central Minnesota, Mark Jewell grew up around the aquaculture, dairy, and poultry industries. He attended the University of Minnesota, completing a B.S. in Agricultural Education, Leadership Training and Development. Carrying a deep devotion for agriculture he spends time working with young leaders of the National FFA Organization as a leadership trainer and speaker. His work has carried him around the United States, and Europe working to develop sustainable leadership training programs for young people. Always quick to pick up on the potential and talent of others, Mark has ventured into the World Wide Web to help free lance professionals share their skills with the agriculture industry. In this effort, he founded AggieLance.com (or Ag-eLance) a service which aids agricultural employers in finding the free lance talent they need. mark@aggielance.com www.aggielance.com

Vance Ehmke and his wife Louise live and farm in the High Plains of western Kansas on the farm that was homesteaded by Vance’s great grandparents back in l886. A past president of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and current member of Kansas Crop Improvement Association, the Ehmkes are strong believers in value added and niche markets as well as vertically coordinated business systems. They grow certified seed wheat, rye and triticale. Vance has BS and MS degrees from Kansas State University.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top tier agricultural company providing innovative crop protection, pest and vegetation management, seed, and agricultural biotechnology solutions to serve the world’'s growing population. We do this through a people-centric performance culture, through our commitments to sustainable development and environmental stewardship, and through collaborations with world-class institutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, global sales for Dow AgroSciences are $3.4 billion.

The AGCO Corporation invites you to come grow with us. We are a world leader in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of agricultural equipment with over a century of experience in the field. AGCO’'s global diversity spans more than 140 countries with a distribution channel of close to 3,200 authorized dealers.Our international reputation, well-known brands, cutting edge technology and superior customer service make AGCO a reliable agricultural solution for today and tomorrow. AGCO is committed to cultivating worldwide relationships and building products to ensure our customers, our dealers and our company are always growing.

Marketing Rally, held Dec. 3-4, 2009, in Chicago, Ill. will bring together ag’s top commodity market analysts to present a melting pot of information never available in one spot. Headliners confirmed include Bob Utterback, Chip Flory, Jerry Gulke, Mark Gold, Gregg Hunt and Jim Bower. The meeting will include the taping of the largest marketing roundtable in the history of “U.S. Farm Report;" breakout sessions and the Marketing Expert Expo allowing attendees to learn more about the analysts’ strategies; and a panel of producers providing feedback on what they need from analysts.