U.S. Congressman Mike Conaway, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, will address the thousands of attendees at the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, March 2-4, 2017.

Congressman Conaway will speak during the popular General Session, which takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 3.

Serving his seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Conaway represents 29 counties in Texas’ 11^th congressional district, including the cities of Midland, Odessa and San Angelo.  A native Texan, he grew up in Odessa and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Texas A&AM University-Commerce.  A conservative Republican, Rep. Conaway’s background as a CPA gives him a unique perspective on fiscal responsibility.

In addition to his role as chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, Rep. Conaway also serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

“We are very pleased that Congressman Conaway has agreed to address Commodity Classic attendees,” said Ed Erickson, Jr., a North Dakota soybean farmer and co-chair of the 2017 Commodity Classic.  “With the change in administration in Washington, DC, the next Farm Bill due for debate, and discussions on international trade policy, the farmers attending Commodity Classic will be very interested to hear from one of the nation’s ag policy leaders on a wide range of issues.”

In addition to Congressman Conaway’s remarks, the General Session will include a presentation from John O’Leary, one of the most popular inspirational speakers on the circuit.  After suffering severe burns and amputations as a child, O’Leary shares a message of navigating adversity through decision-making, revealing a brighter vision for what’s possible and living boldly to impact others.

The General Session also features comments from the leadership of the four presenting commodity associations:  American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.   A representative of the fifth Commodity Classic sponsor, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), will also make remarks.

All registration and housing reservations for Commodity Classic should be made online at www.commodityclassic.com.  Experient is the official registration and housing provider for Commodity Classic.  Check the website for a listing of the official Commodity Classic hotels to secure your hotel accommodations.

Attendees may register for all three days of Commodity Classic or register for one day only.  For example, Friday registration includes the General Session, the early morning live taping of U.S. Farm Report, access to the huge Commodity Classic trade show with 425 exhibiting companies, the AG CONNECT Main Stage programs, and a wide range of educational sessions and technical presentations.  After the event, registrants will also be able to access on-line videos of selected educational sessions that took place on the days for which they were registered.

The 2017 Commodity Classic will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.  The convention center will house most Commodity Classic events, including the Opening Reception, General Session, Evening of Entertainment, Trade Show, Learning Center Sessions and What’s New Sessions.

A detailed schedule of events is also available on the website.

Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is America's largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show, produced by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers, and Association of Equipment Manufacturers.