Agenda 2016

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Tour (Optional)

Depart from Omni; drive to Tampa Bay Port Authority, 1101 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL

Bus to depart Omni Resort Champions Gate.

2:30pm – 3:30pm

Discussion about port expansion plans and development
First floor board room, Tampa Bay Port Authority

Wade Elliott, VP Marketing and Business Development
Ed Miyagshima, Senior Advisor to the President & CEO

3:30pm – 5:30pm

Boat tour of port, view new gantry cranes, etc. from Tampa Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL

5:30pm – 6:45pm

Board bus and return to Omni Hotel

8:00pm – 11:00pm

Hospitality Room

Come network with conference attendees and speakers.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

8:00am – 9:15am

Discussabull….Tools for Talking About Tough Issues

Elaine Froese, CSP, CAFA, CHICoach

When it comes to talking about tough issues-many families just don’t want to talk about it. Are you tired of being caught in the middle ? Like many of you, Elaine is a farm partner and parent to the successor of the farm. Elaine will share actionable tools: 10 tools for talking about tough issues that you can use now to get clarity of expectations, certainty of agreements, and commitment to building “The Plan” for your operation. You’ll get a key challenge audit to help you start identifying the issues you need to talk about. Procrastination and conflict avoidance are killing progress in agriculture. Elaine’s common sense and practical tools will help you stop the pain of “not knowing.”

9:15am -10:15am

Using Life Insurance to Meet Succession Planning Goals

Michael J. Loney, Regional Director, John Hancock Insurance

This presentation presents an overview of using life insurance productions in Succession Planning, and details the types of plans as well as gives an overview of succession planning situations. It covers the most common types of buy-sell arrangements as well as discussing other factors to help ensure the continuation of a business, such as key person insurance and estate planning for family held businesses.

10:15am – 10:30am

Networking Break

10:30am – 11:45am

The Great Margin Squeeze: Strategies for Managing Financial Performance

Michael Langemeier, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

What Happens if a Firm Does Not Benchmark? This presentation will discuss why it is so important to benchmark technical and financial performance. Financial scorecard thresholds for key financial performance ratios will be described. Key financial measures will include liquidity, solvency, profitability, and financial efficiency measures. Case farm values will then be used to illustrate the use financial scorecard thresholds. The presentation will conclude with a brief look at international cost of production benchmarks.

11:45am – 12:00am

NEW – Federal Tax Incentives for Food Donations

Robin Safley, Executive Director, Florida Association of Food Banks

In this session, Robin will give an overview of the Farmers Feeding Florida program and the newest tax incentives that went into effect January 1, 2016 that make it beneficial to donate product. She will also explain about funds available to assist farmers with the picking and packing cost who want to donate produce. With these tools, Florida Farmers in partnership with the Florida Association of Food Banks can find a home for produce that is not going to retail and help solve hunger in Florida.

12:00pm – 12:15pm

#SundaySupper Partnership

Isabel Reis Laessig

http://sundaysuppermovement.com/sundaysupper-brand-partnerships/

12:15pm – 1:00pm

Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Maximize Your Retirement Plan

Blake Willis, ERPA, QPA, Chief Consulting Officer, July Business Services

As a business owner, are you maximizing your retirement and meeting your savings goals? This session will focus on the various types of retirement plans available, look at the importance of saving for retirement, discuss the significant tax saving opportunities available with qualified retirement plans, and learn how to avoid common pitfalls. Whether you are near retirement or have many years until retirement, have no employees or a large number of employees, there are retirement plans that fit your individual goals / needs. How does your plan stack up?

2:00pm – 2:45pm

What is All the Buzz About Whole Farm Revenue Protection

Kathryn Taylor, PhD, Senior Risk Management Specialist, USDA-RMA Risk Management Services Division

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets.

2:45pm – 3:00pm

Networking Break

3:00pm – 3:45pm

Turbulence Ahead: Workers’ compensation in Florida is facing considerable uncertainty as a result of three recent high court rulings

Bill Taulbee, CIC, President & CEO, Lykes Insurance
Anna Evans, ACA, CWC, PHR, Vice President and Managing Claims Consultant in the Lykes Insurance Claim Mitigation Solutions Division

This presentation will focus on the turbulence these decisions are bringing to the workers’ compensation arena and what employers can expect as a result along with the proposed amended request for a +19.6 rate increase filed by NCCI. The session will also address what employers can do to prepare and how they can control workers’ compensation cost through experience mod management.

3:45pm – 5:15pm

Agricultural Cost-Share and Payment for Environmental Services – Identifying and Seizing the Right Opportunities for Your Business

Elizabeth Ross, Of Counsel Shareholder, Gunster
Luna Phillips, Shareholder, Gunster
Michael Minton, Shareholder and Chair of Agribusiness Industry Team, Dean Mead Law Firm
Brad Gould, Shareholder, Dean Mead Law Firm
Brian Armstrong, Executive Director, Southwest Florida Water Management District
Noah Valenstein, Executive Director, Suwannee River Water Management District
Dr. Ann Shortelle, Executive Director, St. Johns River Water Management District
Jeff Sumner, Vice President, Engineering Services, Federico & Associates (FAA)

Hear what a panel of Florida agricultural water quality and supply experts have to say about emerging trends in state and federal funding programs designed to both help ag operations meet regulatory requirements and be paid for providing environmental services. We will cover the nuts and bolts of various programs and walk through real world case studies to illustrate the value achieved and show how these opportunities can make business sense. The inside scoop on overcoming challenges and attaining successful funding will also be shared. You’ll be sure to walk away with a solid understanding of the funding prospects emerging throughout Florida and the tangible tools to get your business in this game.

6:00pm – 7:00pm

Reception – Hospitality Suite Open

6:00pm – 8:00pm

Dinner On Your Own

8:00pm – 12:00am

Networking – Hospitality Suite Open

Friday, August 26, 2016

8:00am – 9:00am

Federal Tax Update and Strategies for 2016

Paul Neiffer, CPA, Principal – Agribusiness, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP

In this session, Paul will cover the practical implications of frequently encountered tax issues impacting farmers and ranchers. He will also give you strategies to identify unique tax saving opportunities, as well as, avoid pitfalls to use in day-to-day decision making and tax planning.

Topics include:
  • Depreciation and the utilization of the Section 179 deduction
  • Farm Income Averaging
  • Repair and Capitalization update
  • Lease vs. Own
  • How to balance Section 179 deduction among multiple entities

9:00am – 10:15am

US Economic Update:  Summer, 2016

Ed Seifried, Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business, Lafayette College

Greece, China, interest rates, and slow economic growth are major news headlines as our summer grinds onward.  Dr. Ed will tackle these issues and much more during is kickoff presentation to our conference.  He will also discuss current economic conditions, and provide an economic forecast for the remainder of 2016.

10:15am – 10:30am

Networking Break

10:30am – 11:45pm

The Winds of Change – Managing Your Organization Through Turbulent Times

Robert D. Saik, P. Ag., C.A.C

Business, like sailing is constantly buffeted by “The Winds of Change”.  The degree to which you can manage change really comes down to how well you read the wind, how well you have set your sails and how well you have trained your crew. Your industry has been buffeted by technology, disintermediation and new competition.  How will you manage in these new turbulent waters?  Do you know where you are headed?  Is your course plotted?  Do you know  how to use the tools to ensure you arrive at your destination? Drawing on his entrepreneurial and sailing experience as well as his over 22 years of enrollment in Strategic Coach (a coaching program for entrepreneurs).  Rob will talk about ideas and tools you use to adjust your sails as you encounter obstacles and trials. During this session Rob will be introducing some tools for managing change. As a business leader, Rob will guarantee you will walk away with some actionable strategies as to how you can better manage your individual and business life while empowering and providing confidence to your team.

11:45pm – 12:30pm

Florida Legislative and Regulatory Update on Agriculture Related Issues

Gregory M. Munson, Shareholder, Gunster
Cari L. Roth, Shareholder, Dean Mead Law Firm

In this session our speakers will give a comprehensive overview of recent Florida legislative and regulatory changes impacting agricultural business.  They will cover both agriculture specific legislation and general legislation affecting agribusiness.  The session will also forecast issues expected to be addressed in the upcoming year.

12:30pm – 1:30pm

Lunch

ADJOURN

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