2023 Agricultural Summit
WATCH THE 2023 AG SUMMIT

Speaking: Matt Blasdel, Risk Management Consultant, StoneX Financial Inc. - FCM Division

Matt’s passion for agriculture started at a young age, growing up on his family’s grain farm in Decatur County, Indiana.  This passion for agriculture and interest in agricultural markets lead Matt to numerous roles working in the cash grain markets and commodity risk management, exposing him to grain elevation and storage, commodity product flows, logistics, processing, and consumptive price risk management.  Utilizing and leveraging this knowledge in commodity risk management lets Matt bring a distinctive point of view as he works daily with those in the agronomy space.  Matt’s clients span the gamut from the local agronomy center to multiple firms in the CropLife Top 10.   Matt earned a degree in Agricultural Economics with a Leadership Development Certification from Purdue University.  He resides in Hamilton County, Indiana, with his wife and their three children as they work to develop their small hobby farm.

 

Presentation Provided By: Josh Linville, Vice President, Fertilizers, StoneX Financial Inc. - FCM Division

Josh Linville is the Director of Fertilizer for StoneX Financial Inc. –  FCM Division. Having grown up in Northwest Missouri on a family farm that raised row crops, tobacco and livestock, Josh brings a unique point of view to the fertilizer markets. With 20 years of experience in the fertilizer industry, Josh has operated in roles that gave given him perspective on the market as a North American logistics specialist, a U.S.-based nitrogen producer, and General Manager of Trade in Melbourne, Australia. Josh and his team, which spans around the world, have been hard at work educating the market on how to use fertilizer futures markets to not only offset price risk but also be able to sell products to farmers well before fertilizer producers release their physical sales programs.

Ted McKinney, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Former Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, USDA

 

Ted serves as the Chief Executive Officer of NASDA, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, a position to which he was named in September 2021. NASDA is the Washington, DC based organization representing the State Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors of Agriculture to the US and the world. 

 

Prior to NASDA, he was also the first U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs from 2017-2021. In that role, Under Secretary McKinney led the development and implementation of the Department’s trade policy, oversaw and facilitated foreign market access, and promoted opportunities for U.S. agriculture through various trade programs and high-level government negotiations. He also oversaw the U.S. Codex Alimentarius staff and functions.

 

After his USDA service, McKinney led foreign affairs and outreach on behalf of the US food and agriculture industry and its engagement with the United Nations Global Food Systems Summits.

 

In 2014, McKinney was appointed by then-Governor Mike Pence to serve as Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, a position he held until joining USDA in 2017. His career also included 19 years with Dow AgroSciences, where over time he served in nearly all Government & Public Affairs roles, and 14 years with Elanco, at that time a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, where he was Director of Global Corporate Affairs. His industry and civic involvement is vast, including service as founder and Co-Chair of the National FFA Convention Local Organizing Committee, membership on the Indiana State Fair Commission, and Purdue College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Council, as well as on the boards of directors of the International Food Information Council and the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

 

McKinney grew up on a family grain and livestock farm in Tipton, Indiana, and was a 10-year

4-H member and an Indiana State FFA Officer. He graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics in 1981, at which time he received the G.A. Ross Award as the outstanding University senior male graduate. In 2002, he was named a Purdue Agriculture Distinguished Alumnus and, in 2004, received an FFA Honorary American degree. He has also received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Indiana Governors Pence and Holcomb.  He and his wife, Julie, have three children and six grandchildren, and reside in Alexandria, Virginia.

James R. Gerlach, President, A/C Trading

 

Jim is currently the President of A/C Trading Co. of Brookston, Indiana, founded in 1976. After serving six years in the USAF as an Arabic linguist and finishing his undergraduate degree in financial management, he joined the firm in 1995 and began offering market advisory and brokerage services after a background as a cash grain merchandiser for Demeter, Inc. Jim began writing a widely followed newsletter on grain/livestock markets in 1997 that RJ O’Brien, the largest independent brokerage firm in the futures industry that also serves the largest number of Introducing Brokers (415 offices), began offering in February of 2008 that is also offered via his website at www.actrading.com . A/C Trading has been an RJ O’Brien introducing broker since 1999. Jim has clients throughout the world, with his primary client base in Indiana. He lives with his wife of 37 years Patrice in Brookston, Indiana and have six children and nine grandchildren. His eldest daughter, Karli, joined the firm upon her graduation from Purdue University in May 2008 and is a licensed commodities broker as well, running a branch office in Laguna Nigel, California.

Andrew McCrea, Featured Speaker 

Farmer and rancher...nationally syndicated radio broadcaster...popular speaker…it’s a unique combination that captivates and challenges audiences to action. Since 1996 Andrew McCrea has traveled the nation, producing the “American Countryside” features that are heard each day on over 100 radio stations and XM satellite radio.

He’s conducted interviews in all 50 states and on six continents talking to people from all walks of life - Emmy and Grammy winners, All-star athletes and even the world’s rooster crowing champion! He’s been body slammed by professional wrestlers, traveled to the launch pads at Cape Canaveral, and chronicled the struggle of impoverished farmers in Africa. But often, it’s an interview with someone you’ve never heard of with a story you won’t forget.

What makes Andrew unique is the broad background his life encompasses. He continues to actively manage and work on his family’s farm and ranch in northwest Missouri. He checks cattle on horseback and still runs the feed truck, planter and combine. His blend of humor and real-life strategies for living life with purpose inspire groups to action. He has provided leadership programs for groups from coast-to-coats, addressing audiences of up to 10,000 people.

He believes in building strong communities. He is the vice-chairman of the Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri, a three-term elected member of the school board and past chairman of the Missouri Beef Industry Council. Andrew is also a certified lay speaker, a role that brings him to speak at many churches on topics of faith.

He is the author of six books including his latest title, The Total Town Makeover. All of his publications are insightful books about life and leadership based on the interesting stories featured on the radio program. His wife and two children are the love of his life and he cherishes his time with them.

From coast-to-coast and around the world, Andrew brings his insights to audiences... inspiring and motivating them to make real world differences in life.