It’s time to consider a trip to Singapore for the World Agriculture Investment Conference Asia if you’re interested in agricultural investments.
Leading investors and fund managers from across SE Asia and Australia are coming to Singapore in June to discuss the investment opportunities and risks in agricultural markets. With the latest market insight on offer and 11 institutional investors already on board, anticipation is high.
On June 29-30, this unique forum will bring together institutional and private investors with top Ag fund managers, to debate strategies for participating in agriculture and surrounding investments.
Among timely discussions including, private equity investment in the full agriculture supply chain and the challenges and benefits of investing internationally, time has been set aside specifically for one-on-one networking for contacts and details to be shared and business to be done.
Confirmed participants already include: Emergent Asset Management, Macquarie, Duxton Asset Management, InvestAg Savills and many more. (more…)
If you can’t make it to the World Agriculture Investment Conference USA in May then you might consider the newly announced World Agriculture Investment Conference Asia which will be held in Singapore.
In June this year, leading investment groups from across SE Asia and Australia are coming to Singapore to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets. With the latest market insight and global case studies, anticipation is high.
On June 29-30, a unique forum will bring together institutional and private investors with top Ag fund managers, to debate strategies for participating in agriculture and surrounding investments.
Confirmed participants already include: Macquarie, 21Ventures, Duxton Asset Management, InvestAg Savills, Emergent Asset Management and many more.
This is a unique chance to network with investors and Ag managers, and to effortlessly catch-up on where allocations are being made and how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
To see the latest information and to book you place at a discounted rate please visit: www.aginvestconference.com/asia
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 545.
Here’s a last announcement about the May 9-10, World Agriculture Investment Conference. Leading investment groups from across the globe will be at the conference to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets.
The meeting’s foremost speaker panel – addressing a delegation of institutional and private investors – has recently been strengthened by leading investment manager Ejnar Knudsen of Passport Capital.
Mr. Knudsen has a wealth of experience in the field of agriculture investment and is currently responsible for Passport Capital’s investment management and research process for food, agriculture and commodity investments.
Among the timely discussion in Chicago, Mr. Knudsen will share his thoughts on agricultural markets and where to hedge your bets, offering truly unique insight into a complex and often misunderstood market.
What’s more, in build-up to this meeting you can now get free access a keynote presentation from our recent London event – BlackRock’s Richard Davis looks at equities versus commodities and key investment themes in the Agriculture space – please click here for the presentation.
The World Agriculture Investment Conference USA is a unique forum designed specifically to network with key investors, hedge funds and Ag managers, and to effortlessly discover how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
Discounted tickets for Chicago are available until February 25th
For more information please visit: http://www.aginvestconference.com/usa/
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley, Investment Director – World Agriculture Investment Series by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 54
You can find the agenda here.
The World Agriculture Investment Conference 2011 in Chicago is drawing closer and the organizers have been working with Henry Wilkes at InvestAg Savills to bring you the “International Farmland Market Bulletin 2011”
InvestAg Savill’s “International Farmland Market Bulletin 2011” provides an interesting overview of international values and farmland as an asset class – it’s available to download here.
Henry Wilkes, CEO, Invest AG Savills will join the Ag Invest meeting’s foremost speaker panel in Chicago in May 9-10. In the timely discussion, Henry will provide a global perspective on agriculture investment strategies and regional land markets.
Following months of research, this forum has been designed specifically to help investors to walk away with the practical information and contacts needed to make an appropriate choice based on varying risk tolerances and return objectives.
This is a truly unique chance to network with key investors, hedge funds and Ag managers, and to effortlessly discover how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
For more information please visit: http://www.aginvestconference.com/usa/
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley, Investment Director – World Agriculture Investment Series by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 54
You can find the agenda here.
The World Agriculture Investment Conference 2011 announces new speakers.
On May 9-10, leading investment groups from across the globe are coming to Chicago to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets at the World Agriculture Investment Conference USA.
The meeting’s foremost speaker panel – addressing a delegation of institutional and private investors – has recently been strengthened by Warren Weissman of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Rajesh Behal of the Agribusiness Department, IFC.
Following months of research, this forum has been designed specifically to help investors to walk away with the practical information and contacts needed to make an appropriate choice based on varying risk tolerances and return objectives.
Among the timely discussion, Mr. Weissman will take a look at agriculture opportunities throughout Latin America, focusing on regulatory environments and current crop production.
And Mr. Behal will talk on private equity investment in the full agriculture supply chain, exploring opportunities in fertilizer, technology and infrastructure.
This is a truly unique chance to network with key investors, hedge funds and Ag managers, and to effortlessly discover how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
For more information please visit: http://www.aginvestconference.com/usa/
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley, Investment Director – World Agriculture Investment Series by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 54
You can find the agenda here.
Agricultural investors have a major conference to look forward to in just a few months in Chicago. Let me introduce you to FC Business Intelligence and the World Agriculture Investment Conference 2011.
In spring this year, leading investment groups from across North America and Europe are coming to Chicago to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets. With the latest market insight and global case studies, anticipation is high.
On May 9-10, a unique forum will bring together institutional and private investors with top Ag fund managers, to debate strategies for participating in agriculture and surrounding investments.
Following months of research, this forum has been designed specifically to help investors to network and walk away with the practical information needed to make an appropriate choice based on varying risk tolerances and return objectives.
Confirmed participants already include: CAIA, ViVa, AgriCapita, Inter-American Development Bank, IFC, Rafferty Capital Markets, Farmers Edge, Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners, Citi and many more.
This is a unique chance to network with key investors, hedge funds and Ag managers, and to effortlessly catch-up on where allocations are being made and how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
Debate will focus on:
- How to take advantage of private equity investment in the full agriculture supply chain
- Proven techniques for sourcing top operators
- Understand how agriculture fits within investor portfolios
- Identify the best agriculture opportunities from across the Americas and beyond
For more information please visit: http://www.aginvestconference.com/usa/
With more and more demand for food and farmland, surging prices and growing interest from investors, there’s one thing for sure…
Agricultural markets are exciting.
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley, Investment Director – World Agriculture Investment Series by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 54
You can find the agenda here.
AgriSolutions® is offering “Producer Education Sessions” this month and next to help farmers achieve their 2011 financial goals.
According to Valerie Bates, AgriSolutions Training and Education Manager, AgriSolutions’ coursework is designed with the company mission in mind – to help agricultural producers become more effective business managers. Sessions are instructor-led in a classroom setting at AgriSolutions’ offices in Brighton, IL. Sessions planned for January and February will help producers learn to manage operations more efficiently and effectively, she said.
Coursework begins with a review of accounting principles, and includes financial reporting, analysis of operational and capital cash flow, and debt analysis. AgriSolutions coaches help participants understand true profit and cost, in order to enhance decision-making. Participants in some courses build business plans and strategic plans, and learn to better control their business’s finances to achieve their goals and objectives.
The courses include:
January 20-21, or February 3-4, 2011
AS 203 – Managerial Analysis
Producers attending will measure and monitor factors of managerial accounting centers, examining area performance, profitability, and assessing efficiency and cost control. Participants will leave with an understanding of true profit and costs, resulting in enhanced decision-making.
January 27-28, or February 17-18, 2011
AS 104 – Growth and Debt Funding
Participants will learn to analyze the impact of asset decisions on the operation, review key debt and equity principles, and assess the benefits of funding an operation with debt and equity. Producers evaluate their operation’s working capital requirements, conduct a complete debt analysis.
February 1-2, or February 15-16, 2011
AS 103 – Taking Action to Improve Performance
This class will explore basic accounting principles, financial reporting, analysis of operational and capital cash flow, and managing business finances to achieve goals and objectives.
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact AgriSolutions Education by emailing asiEducation@agrisolutions.com, or call 800-454-4524. Online training options are available, as well, offering 24-hour access, 7 days a week.
Just about everyone these days is making speculations about the state of the economy. While many industry experts and economics disagree about the cause and effects of this recession, most can agree that the economic recovery is going to be a slow one. An economist at Texas A&M University is one of the many weighing in on the debate. In a recent press release, the university shares the thoughts of Dr. Charlie Hall. Here is an excerpt from that release…
Dr. Charlie Hall, who also is the Ellison Chair in International Floriculture at Texas A&M University, said at the 2009 Texas Plant Protection Conference recently in Bryan that the economic recovery is going to be slow, “but that’s a good thing.” Current economic concerns include the global financial situation, auto industry, energy consumption and overall U.S. infrastructure, he said, adding the U.S. labor situation is improving as weekly unemployment claims are declining. He said that the national definition of the savings rate doesn’t include two things: appreciation of home and 401(k) retirement accounts.
“I think we as consumers will save a little bit more, but that does not mean we will stop spending altogether,” said Hall. “I think the Great Recession has prompted people to be more frugal and temporarily increase the savings rate. In terms of the long run, spending is too ingrained in the mindset of the consumer, but they will exhibit a smarter consumption pattern.”
How about you? Are you practicing frugality this year? Do you see an increased savings over spending among the typical American consumer?
Looking at the dollars and cents of the agriculture industry today can be tough at times. With sky-rocketing input costs and low-profit margins, producing food has become an even more challenging “game” than ever before. Because of the struggling economy and decreased consumer spending, there are less dollars to go around, and that means ag lenders are having to tighten their pocketbooks, as well.
According to Ag Weekly Online, Ag Credit Will get Tighter. Cindy Snyder, Ag Weekly correspondent writes, Nationally farm income topped $87 billion in 2008, but it is projected to fall to $54 billion this year. If farm income stays below $60 billion in 2010, farmers will find credit more difficult to arrange. If farm income drops below $50 billion, the situation will become markedly more difficult, he said.
A drop in land values of 10 percent would be manageable and not affect ag credit much, Klinefelter said. With a 20 percent devaluation some stress will be felt, but a drop of 30 percent will cause major problems because nearly all real estate loans are secured by real estate.
Jim Langcuster at Auburn University recently published an article in the Southeast Farm Press titled, Weakened Dollar Could Cause Farm Problems that highlights some issues farmers could be facing in times of a weakened dollar. Here is an excerpt of the article…
The mighty American greenback has fallen on hard times — so hard, in fact, that countries throughout the world are clamoring for its replacement as the world’s reserve currency. How would farming be affected by the change? One of the effects of the dollar’s replacement by another currency would almost inevitably be a vastly cheaper greenback. If history serves as any measure of the potential effect on agriculture, shouldn’t farmers be dancing for joy? After all, in historical terms, haven’t U.S. farmers traditionally favored cheap money and free trade?
“In terms of farming, economic theory says that devaluation would make our goods cheaper internationally and help us export more,” says James Novak, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System economist and Auburn University professor of agricultural economics.
But as he is the first to point out, the dollar’s loss of reserve status carries with it far more implications than the simple price of farm products. There is also the potentially wider, if not far-reaching effect on the entire U.S. economy to consider, he says.
After a long history of futures and options open outcry trading, the Minneapolis Grain Exchange is closing its trading pits effective December 19, 2008. The decision to make the transition to exclusively electronic trading was unanimously approved by the MGEX Board of Directors and is pending MGEX ownership approval.
According to a MGEX release, the decision comes after an exhaustive study done by MGEX Management at the request of the Board of Directors. “Over the past 12 months there has been a dramatic trend away from open outcry and towards electronic trading witnessed by all U.S. exchanges, including MGEX,” said MGEX CEO Mark Bagan. He agreed that the transition was “inevitable” during a press conference with reporters today.
“Our customers who use the exchange for risk management purposes will still have the ability to still execute those trades,” Bagan said. “This was not a financial decision, as much as it was how do we grow our marketplace here in Minneapolis.”
MGEX Management will work closely with all members of the trading floor community to ensure an effective transition for all affected parties. The Exchange will implement a fee waiver program for floor traders who trade for their own account. In addition, a liquidity provider program and market maker program are being introduced. These initiatives are designed to help facilitate the change in venues and build market participation.
Listen to a press conference this afternoon with Mark Bagan, President & CEO, MGEX.
mgex-10-24-08.mp3
You can also download the audio with this link:
Mark Bagan press conference (mp3)
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In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
