90th Annual Mid-Winter Meeting
January 30-31
Thank you to everyone that attended this year's event.
The Farm Agents Mid-Winter Education Meeting is the premier event for those in the Illinois farm, agri-business, and crop insurance to come together for networking, education and an industry specific trade show. This event draws over 100 agents all from all throughout Illinois, to learn about the impacts our industry is facing, legislative changes, and so much more. Learn how your business can grow, thrive and adapt to our ever changing world.
Sponsors
Session Descriptions
Building a Revenue Safety-Net for Producers
By Jon King
During this session attendees will discuss ideas on competing with value, and ways to use new technology to communicate value. Attendees will also learn ways to build loyalty and grow market share. Topics will include the Farm Program, Revenue Policy, RP w/SCO, ARPI, Base Policy with MP-HPO and Policy Utilization/Value Selling.
Farm Property – The “Family Farm” Market
By Sam Bennett
This session will address several topics related to the Agribusiness insurance marketplace, with emphasis on the “family farm”. This discussion will lend itself well to the insurance professional who works with agribusiness exposures owned by individuals and closely held entities (family farm corporations, LLCs and Trusts). Agents will use the ISO forms for their discussion in addition to selected company specific forms that have been developed for a geographic area or as requested by the insured. Endorsements available in this program will also be discussed, mostly within the context of the genesis of their development due to ‘gaps’ found in the most commonly obtainable insurance forms used for these types of farm exposures.
Speakers
Jon King, National Crop Insurance Solutions Manager, Watts and Associates
Jon King is a sought after presenter on a wide range of topics for local, regional, and national audiences of farmers, agents, grain marketers, lenders, and sales professionals.
King has been in senior management roles at a top five Crop Insurance provider for 17 and in the grain business for 32 years. He has worked directly with farmers all over the nation as an Insurance Agency and Brokerage business owner. Before starting his own agency Kingfollowed his passion of helping farmers and those who provide them services make more profit by creating a grain price protection service for farmers.
King has been a member of the Kansas City Board of Trade, the International Swap & Derivatives Association, National Grain & Feed Association and state grain & feed associations, American Banking Association, and the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers.
King has served on the Agent Advisory Committee of American Association of Crop Insures and is a member of Crop Insurance Producers Association.
Sam Bennett, Harrison Agency, Inc.
Sam Bennett is an active retail producer, presenter, and shareholder in Harrison Agency, Inc. of Columbia, MO. He began his insurance career in 1987 and has been an Independent Insurance Agent from the beginning. He has worked with individuals, families, and small businesses his entire career. In this capacity, he has worked in the personal lines, commercial lines, agribusiness and life and health marketplaces. As a result of working with many types of clients, many carriers, and many coverage needs, Bennett has grown to understand and appreciate the important ways an insurance professional must work with markets and clients in today's insurance world.
Bennett obtained his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation in 1996. He has taught coursework for the National Alliance in their CISR program since 2000, has presented in their CIC program since 2004, and in 2009 became a National Faculty Member of the Society of CIC. Sam is also a National Faculty Member in the Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS) program and is a speaker in the AIMS Society's Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) program and IRMI's Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) program. Bennett has been called upon to offer insurance education in conferences and symposiums across the country over the past twenty years and has provided services to several law firms in the capacity of expert consultant.