All Eyes on Iowa

Iowa enjoys worldwide renown not only as the capital of the Corn Belt but also as the innovative hub for global agribusiness. A broad base of research institutions, companies and public-private partnerships thrive in the Hawkeye State, and they continually innovate and inspire — as they have for decades. Sometimes separately but in many instances in concert, these entities not only propel our regional economy, but they make the world a better place by helping to feed billions.

This heritage of ours has also facilitated the development of some of the most significant events in global agriculture. The coveted World Food Prize, announced annually, calls Greater Des Moines (DSM) home. So does the Land Investment Expo, which celebrates its 15th annual edition in 2022.

Land Investment Expo 2022

This year’s Land Investment Expo returns to the Iowa Events Center on Tuesday, Jan. 11. As always, the Land Expo will feature a full slate of top-notch speakers, including renowned entrepreneur Sam Zell, founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments; policymakers such as Larry Kudlow, former director of the National Economic Council and now a FOX commentator; and thought leaders such as Erin Fitzgerald of US Farmers and Ranchers in Action, who will be joined on stage by Texas farmer Jay Hill.

Jay is one of many farmers who will share their stories on opportunities, obstacles and current markets during the Land Investment Expo. Not surprisingly, the very first will be Iowa’s own Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, who will deliver the opening remarks Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. in the Main Ballroom. Jason Brown certainly qualifies as a high-profile farmer. Although Jason is known nowadays as the “Sweet Potato Whisperer,” it wasn’t that long ago that the North Carolina native was playing professional football for the Rams as well as for the Ravens. Learn Jason’s inspiring story of faith, family and farming during the afternoon’s keynote session, which gets underway at 3 p.m.

Although many Midwest agricultural operators focus on cash crops like corn and soybeans, Vincent Anter is all about wine grapes. We can’t wait to hear what he has to say about Iowa wines during the question and answer session! Be sure to give Vince a few minutes of your time, and you’ll quickly find out for yourself why his entertaining and educational program V is For Vino has become America’s No. 1 wine show.

In addition to the morning and afternoon keynote sessions, breakout sessions will also be held throughout the day. They have been structured to cover many topics, including tax planning for land sales, leveraging digital farmland analytics, and investing in opportunity zones. Curious about carbon markets? You’ll get answers. Interested in learning more about carbon capture and storage? There’s a breakout session on that topic as well. Want to know where farmland values are headed? Leave it to renowned researcher Bruce Sherrick to share the highs and lows of national land values via his recent annual report.

All of these speakers and topics will be explored at this year’s Land Investment Expo, which will be staged in-person at the Iowa Events Center in Downtown DSM, as well as online. Attendees can register here.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses or events specific to Downtown DSM.