MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

David Mielnicki, MAI, ARA, SRA

president@agconsultants.org

Dear Members of the American Society of Agricultural Consultants,

The planning process is underway for the upcoming annual conference to be held in Indianapolis, Ind., in November 2025. Leading up to the conference, the executive committee will be making advancements to our website and social media accounts to help promote the conference as well as membership in ASAC. 

Ease of technology for membership conference registration and annual dues collection has been a topic of needed advancement to improve these processes for our current and prospective members.

Tony Ponzetti has joined our executive committee as the 2025 Vice President/Secretary of ASAC and is excited to help advance our membership communications and engagement through an improved online presence. Tony serves as a Valuation Associate for Newmark Valuation & Advisory and is a member of the Agricultural Specialty Practice. 

With more than 25 years of experience, Ponzetti has worked in the real estate and finance industries, in multiple areas including brokerage, lending, and appraisal & advisory services. He is a State of Michigan Licensed Appraiser and is pursuing the Certified General Appraiser License, as well as training through the Appraisal Institute and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

Prior to joining Newmark, Ponzetti was the principal of an asset management company and was responsible for appraisals, consulting on land development, splits/assemblages, and coordinating quiet title actions. His unique skillset of navigating through complex real estate matters is a resource for our members. 

As a University of Notre Dame alumni, he is excited to have the conference in Indiana this year and to meet our all of our members.

Thank you for your ongoing support and participation in our society.

Warm regards,
David Mielnicki

president@agconsultants.org

Standing Committees:

Membership – Ron Rabou - raboufarms@gmail.com

Nominating – Keith Dickinson - keith.dickinson@farmcrediteast.com

By-Laws – Keith Dickinson - keith.dickinson@farmcrediteast.com

Accreditation (CAC) Committee - Bill Zweigbaum - bill.zweigbaum@gmail.com

Ethics and Grievance – Ethan Robertson - ethan.robertson@farmcrediteast.com

Continuing Education – Scott Mickey - smickey@clemson.edu 

Annual Meeting – Abigail Byerly - byerly@snowymountaindevelopment.com

Finance – Keith Raynor - keith@trpsumner.com

Ad Hoc Committees

Marketing and Promotion – Pete Weisenberger - peteweis846@gmail.com

Strategic Alliance Subcommittee – Norm Brown - norm@fbssystems.com

2025 ASAC Conference Update

“The Annual Conference speaker roster is coming together nicely,” reports Abigail Byerly, Snowy Mountain Development Corp, Lewiston, Mont., chair of the annual conference. “Indianapolis is an excellent location for our members and guests; it provides opportunities for a great many ag industry leaders to meet with our group.

“We are putting more emphasis on the Sunday program this year. We will still have the opening reception on November 2, but it will be preceded by an Ethics refresher course for all members. There will also be a presentation giving an overview of Indiana agriculture. This should set the stage for understanding the state’s role in agricultural research and production,” Byerly says. 

“For Monday, we are switching things around a bit by providing two tours in the morning before starting sessions in the afternoon. Attendees will visit corporate headquarters for Beck Hybrids seed company and a tour of corporate facilities at Corteva Agriscience. “These two programs should be of great interest to our members and guests as they will be exposed to background information on challenges the two companies face in today’s agriculture and their forward thinking in developing new products and strains.”

Confirmed speakers for the conference include Rusty Rumley, J.D,, LL.M, senior staff attorney with the National Agriculture Law Center in Fayetteville, Ark., who will address Hot Topics in Ag Law and Policy, and James Mintert, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He will speak on the U.S Economy Outlook: What Farmers Are Telling Us. The banquet keynote will be Donald Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, who will address the Position of Indiana Agriculture.

“We have other speakers from whom we are waiting to hear a commitment on topics and presentation day and time,” Byerly explains. “When those are confirmed, we expect to announce presentations on current veterinary medicine challenges, including the bird influenza crisis; the continuing and evolving role of technology in ag; international trade; and other topics.”

As additional program details are finalized, updates will be included on the Website, www.agconsultants.org, and in the Communique.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING NOTES, March 2025

President's Report - David Mielnicki

The board had an extended discussion on membership renewals / non-renewals. Ideas were brought forward to encourage early renewals with a discount program or discount voucher to apply to the next year’s member fee or possibly to apply to the conference registration fee. It was also suggested that the payment portal on the website needs to be improved / simplified to make renewals easier on the website. 

Meetings Committee - Abigail Byerly, Chair

Programming is coming together well. Some speakers confirmed and others are in final stages of confirmation. 

Continuing Education Committee - Scott Mickey, Chair

Three webinars are planned for April, May and June. Details for April have been posted and complete information for May and June will be available soon.

Next Board of Directors Meeting - April 15 - 11 a.m. CDT(open to all members to listen in):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89918075286?pwd=LEUjUgLopYS47U3q6wNmIiJcqdYsTt.1

ASAC CALENDAR

KEEP UP WITH THE ASAC BLOG

February 28, 2025 - Efficient and Effective Family Business Meetings

March 3, 2025 - Value of Continuing Professional Development for Ag Consultants

March 7, 2025 - Could AI Be Used for Illegal Price Fixing

March 13, 2025 - Dr. Mintert and the Ag Economy Barometer

March 20, 2025 - Don Lamb and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture

ASAC SPONSORS

2024 CONFERENCE SPONSORS

IB'S INSIGHTFUL INTROSPECTIONS

Ib Hagsten was a longtime member of ASAC who left a lasting legacy with our organization. It is impossible to replicate Ib's wit and down-to-earth observations. In his honor, we offer these words of wisdom...

Either you go after the life you want or you settle for the life you get.

Jokers Vibes

Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder..

Real Deep Quotes

Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.

Meister Eckhart

ASAC LEADERSHIP TEAM

Executive Board

President

Dave Mielnicki, ARA

President-Elect

Abigail Byerly

Vice President & Secretary

Tony Ponzetti

Chief Financial Officer

Russell Morgan, CAC

Immediate Past President

Keith Dickinson, CAC

Executive Director

Jean L Merry

Regional Directors

Eastern Director

Ethan Robertson, CAC

Western Director

Ron Rabou

Northern Director

Don Tyler

Southern Director

Scott Mickey

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