Farmers are encouraged to mark their calendars for the 19^th annual Middle Tennessee Grain Conference on Feb. 4 at the University of Tennessee Space Institute.

UTSI is located at 411 B.H. Goethert Parkway in Franklin County, near Tullahoma.

For almost two decades, the Middle Tennessee Grain Conference has made good on its mission to offer practical insights and real-life solutions to emerging crop-production issues, according to the Extension Office.

From local county Extension agents to top-tier Extension specialists, the University of Tennessee’s Extension branches plan year-round to bring unbiased, research-based information to the annual event, Extension leaders said.

Keeping with tradition, the Grain Conference will again host one of the area’s largest trade shows with nearly 50 vendors and industry professionals sharing what’s new and exciting and what’s tried and true.

An emphasis is being placed on pre-registration with a Jan. 28 deadline in place through local county Extension offices.

The cost for pre-registration is $10 per person, kept low due to the generous support of sponsors and participating trade-show vendors, event organizers said, adding that the fees help offset the cost of program materials, equipment, signage, take-home resources and conference hats (one per person).

Doors open at 7:30 a.m. for networking and access to the trade show. Opening remarks start at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium with updates from Extension partners at the Tennessee Corn and Tennessee Soybean promotion councils along with the announcement of top soybean-yield contest winners.

The remaining sessions will all be held in the auditorium, covering topics such as weed management and dicamba updates, weather forecasting, grain marketing and risk management and a presentation from soybean world-record holder Alex Harrell from Lexington, Kentucky, who recorded a 218-bushels-per-acre harvest in 2024.

Harrell, the keynote speaker, is being sponsored by Brandt.

This year’s conference is made possible by several industry partners, including the Tennessee Corn Promotion Council, the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council, GreenPoint Ag., Woodall Grain, Koch and Farm Credit.

At adjournment, participants will turn in completed evaluations at the information booth to receive a conference hat and other take-home resources.

Credits and points will be available for certified crop advisor, commercial and private applicator and master row crop programs.

For more info, contact the Franklin County Extension Office at 931-967-2741.