The city of Des Moines, Iowa rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, a brand new event to showcase the intersection between agriculture and technology.

The new event kicked off with a Welcome to Iowa Party at Exile Brewing Co., sponsored by state and local business organizations that have made it a priority to encourage agricultural events in particular to come to Des Moines. Representatives from America’s Cultivation Corridor, Ames Chamber of Commerce, Iowa State Research Park, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership personally attended the party to meet and welcome conference attendees.

“This is absolutely in our back yard,” said Mark Laurenzo with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. “Working on this event has really allowed us to put a focus on the center of the Midwest, the center of North America, and a place to do business for precision agriculture.”

Tech Hub LIVE is a perfect fit for the mission of America’s Cultivation Corridor, according to executive director Billi Hunt. “We’re all about lifting up innovation in the state and connecting it to the world, but also connecting the world’s agriculture innovation to Iowa,” said Hunt.

The pre-conference agenda on Monday included a field trip to Couser Cattle Company at The Modern Ag Farm, in Nevada, Iowa, a fully integrated farming operation featuring everything from row crop production to animal ag and ethanol. The conference officially kicks off Tuesday morning for a full two days of the latest in digital and precision agriculture.

Listen to interviews with Laurenzo and Hunt below.