Transportation Go! will dock at the Great Lakes March 13-14 to tackle key issues and explore opportunities for agricultural transportation. After previous stops in Minneapolis and Omaha, Neb., the fourth-annual conference, hosted by the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA), will be held March 13-14 at the Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel in Toledo, Ohio. The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council is a Show Sponsor of the event.
Transportation Go! is the premier conference for agricultural transportation and trade in the Midwest. Together and through a robust agenda featuring high-level speakers, attendees will discuss challenges and opportunities for agricultural freight moved on intermodal, rail and ocean lanes.
“I’m looking forward to learning more about, No. 1, what are the transportation options that we have, along with the transportation obstacles?” said Gail Donkers, MSR&PC vice chair and SSGA board member. “I think Transportation Go! is a great event for the Council to team up with fellow state soybean boards to support.”
Max Vekich from the Federal Maritime Commission and Michelle Schultz from the Surface Transportation board will participate on a panel discussion about finding solutions from rail to sea. Other speakers include Bahar Gokce of Olympia International, Mark Stewart of Agriculture Future of America and a panel of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway port administrators. Kranti Mulik from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and Scott Grenerth of Truck Specialized Information Services will discuss issues in trucking, including drayage and heavyweight corridors. Tours of the Port of Toledo and Port of Monroe are also being planned. View the entire agenda and more details, including registration, at www.transportationgo.com.
“Having attended the 2022 conference in Milwaukee, it is fitting that the conference returns to the Great Lakes, in the port city of Toledo, where transportation, manufacturing and agriculture converge in support of our regional and national economies,” said Joseph Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Attendees should come prepared to learn and explore as they experience a revitalized Toledo offering fantastic dining and entertainment throughout the city that will surely make for a unique and enjoyable visit.”
SSGA’s annual meeting will be held in the same location on March 12. The annual meeting will reflect on the successes from the past year and look ahead to the future. Board of Directors elections will be held, and the annual SSGA Alliance Honors will be presented at the meeting. The annual meeting is free for members, but pre-registration is requested. Non-members can register for $55.
Donkers, who’s up for election this year after filling Keith Schrader’s position, said she’s been impressed by SSGA’s proactive stances on transportation issues over its five years in operation.
“SSGA is really innovative and doing things that nobody else is doing right now,” she said. “It’s fun to be part of organizations like SSGA and Minnesota Soybean that are leading the way.”
Aside from MSR&PC, the Ohio Soybean Council, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, North Dakota Soybean Council, Illinois Soybean Association, South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Port of Toledo, U.S. Identity Preserved and Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation are sponsoring the event. SSGA is also grateful to Destination Toledo for its enthusiasm and assistance in hosting Transportation Go!
