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About the Expo The Iowa Land Investment Expo is catered to individuals who are interested in learning more about the opportunities of owning land throughout Iowa. Discussion topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Estate & Tax Planning Strategies-How to position you and your family with the property exit strategy
- 1031 & Reverse 1031 Exchanges-Discussion on how to use the governments tax code to build wealth
- Introduction to the Iowa Wine/Vine Industry-How to capitalize on this new industry to the state
- Management Zone Soil Sampling-A Discussion on GPS Precision Technology and how it impacts the bottom line of your farm.
- Going Green in Real Estate Development-Does it pay?
- Equitable Farm Lease Arrangements-What’s fair rent in this volatile environment?
- Use of Land Stewardship Options to create long term value for land
Keynote Speakers
Terry Kastens |
Terry
Kastens, Professor
Extension Specialist, Farm Management
Department of Agricultural Economics
Kansas State University
Terry Kastens is a professor of agricultural economics
at Kansas State University. His research interests
center on unconventional statistical predictive modeling
techniques, for example, neural networks, fuzzy logic,
genetic algorithms, and entropy. As an extension
agricultural economist, Kastens’ goal is increasing the
profitability of those involved in agriculture. His main
areas of emphasis are land ownership and leasing,
machinery management, and technology adoption. But, land
issues dominate, where hardly a day passes when he is
not involved with negotiating arrangements between
landowners and tenants, or in land purchase or land sale
issues and questions. Kastens also is heavily involved
in day-to-day and management activities on the Kastens
family farm in northwest Kansas. |
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Rand Fisher |
Rand Fisher has served as President of the Iowa Area
Development Group (IADG) for the past 12 years. IADG was
established in 1985 to provide economic development
leadership for Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives. The
organization recently entered into a partnership to
provide business and community development service and
support for Iowa’s independent telephone companies. In
2003, IADG established a statewide community foundation.
Mr. Fisher volunteers his time as CEO of the foundation
and is active in community based philanthropy
initiatives.
IADG has been recognized by numerous federal, regional
and state agencies. The organization is committed to
serving and supporting its members with a comprehensive
approach to economic development including research;
education and training; marketing; and technical
assistance.
Mr. Fisher has a MPA degree from the University of Iowa,
serves on numerous boards and represents IADG,
cooperatives and the economic development profession in
a variety of forums and publications. His presentation
will focus on the opportunities, challenges and
advantages of investing in rural Iowa. |
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Elaine Kub |
After growing up on a cattle and grain farm in South
Dakota, Elaine received a bachelor's degree in
engineering from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln
and her MBA from the University of California San Diego,
where her research focused on statistical models of the
dynamics between corn and ethanol markets. Elaine Kub
has worked as a commodity futures market analyst for DTN
in Omaha, Nebraska throughout the contemporary
demand-driven rally in ag prices, and also rents land to
produce crops in north central South Dakota. She
regularly lends her market insight to Iowa Public
Television’s Market to Market program, and has also been
featured on CNBC, the U.S. Farm Report, in Futures
Magazine and various other print media. |
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Ken Root |
Now a farm broadcaster at WHO Radio in Des Moines, Ken
Root is a 33-year broadcasting veteran with years of
experience in agricultural organization management and
environmental consulting. Besides holding titles such as
executive director of the National Association
of Farm Broadcasters, Ken has also won multiple awards
including the Oscar in Agriculture presented by Dekalb
Seed Company. |
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Bill Northey |
Bill Northey is a fourth
generation farmer from Spirit Lake, Iowa who grows corn
and soybeans. Northey returned to Spirit Lake to farm
with his grandfather after graduating from Iowa State
University in 1981.
He is serving his first term as Secretary of Agriculture
after being elected in November of 2006.
As Secretary, Northey has committed to traveling to each
of Iowa’s 99 counties every year to hear from farmers
and rural residents with a stake in the future of
agriculture. These meetings allow him to listen to their
needs and better lead the Iowa Department of Agriculture
and Land Stewardship as it seeks to serve the people of
the state.
His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are advancing
the opportunities available through renewable energy,
promoting conservation and stewardship, and telling the
story of Iowa agriculture. |
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