By Brad Barth, Board Chairman
Happy “almost the end of winter” to you. As I write this, it is mid-February in Minnesota and we have had almost two weeks of above freezing weather. This is a little unusual for this time of year in northern Minnesota, but I will take it. As Minnesotans, we are a weird bunch. We put on a jacket in July when the temperature at the lake dips to a cool 65 degrees in the evening, but we will go outside in mid-February and celebrate a balmy 35 degrees wearing just a T-shirt. Go figure.
On January 12, 2023, MCIA held its 120th Annual Meeting in Fergus Falls. It was an excellent gathering with outstanding speakers, great sponsors, and wonderful time to network with our fellow seed professionals. It was great to have the meeting in person again and to visit with those who attended.
I would like to thank Fawad Shah and the great staff at MCIA for organizing such an excellent event, especially the speaker lineup, which was beyond fantastic. Special thanks to Seth Dagoberg, Kris Folland, and Michelle Menken for their great presentations about the MCIA services they manage. Please make plans now to attend next year’s annual meeting. You will be glad you did.
During my Chairman’s Report at the meeting, I spoke for the Board of Directors and wanted all members to know that MCIA is in a sound financial position and has a bright future. How bright? That will depend on the extent to which members participate in MCIA’s services: acres certified and use of our seed lab. With your continued support, MCIA will be here to serve its members for years to come.
Over the past few years, almost all our businesses have dealt with staffing problems. Correct? Well, MCIA has experienced staff turnover as well. Fawad and all involved have somehow managed to attract not just people, but absolutely great people, to fill vacated positions. The new staff I have met have impressed me immensely. They are going to be wonderful additions to our organization.
Again, thank you to all who attended our annual meeting: You, the members, along with the best staff in the industry, are what makes our organization great.
Have a great and prosperous 2023!