Georgia Bankers Association

Rural Development and Lending Conference

May 15-16, 2008
Savannah Riverfront Marriott

Program Agenda

Thursday, May 15, 2008

1:00 p.m.          Registration

1:30 p.m.          Welcome and Opening Comments

                        Frank Cox, Chair

                        2007-2008 Agriculture Committee

                        Senior Vice President/Agri-Business

Ameris Bank, Moultrie

Market Trends and Economic Overview

                        Dr. John McKissick

Professor and Extension Economist

                        Department of Agriculture, Applied Economics

                        University of Georgia, Athens

John McKissick, a well-known and respected specialist in market trend analysis and general agricultural economics, will enlighten Georgia Agribusiness lenders on the status of current market outlooks.

3:00 p.m.          Break

3:15 p.m.          Regulatory Update

                        Representative from the FDIC

4:00 p.m.          Declining Farm Real Estate Values

Richard Humphries, Vice President

Forest Resource Consultants, Inc., Macon

Richard Humphries’ firm, FRC, provides market studies including development of comparable sales information for land and/or timber pricing in specific market areas.  In this session, Mr. Humphries will discuss the current trends in Georgia’s farm real estate values.

5:00 p.m.          Conference Recess

5:30 p.m.          Reception 

Friday, May 16, 2008

7:30 a.m.          Continental Breakfast 

8:00 a.m.          Current Legal Issues in Agriculture

Sherman Willis

                        Gardner, Willis, Sweat & Goldsmith, Albany

Sherman Willis will address current legal issues facing both the farmer and the agribusiness lender.

9:30 a.m.          Analyzing Tax Returns for Agricultural Based Taxpayers

Ron H. Mitchell
Member
Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, Albany

This session is designed to overview some of the unique issues related to agricultural type tax returns, including the differences between cash and accrual basis, tax returns with information flowing thru on K-1's from S-Corps, LLC's and Partnerships and some of the income deferral and expense acceleration techniques employed by agricultural based taxpayers.  

10:30 a.m.         Break

10:45 a.m.         Agriculture Innovation

                        Bill Boone, Director

Georgia Agriculture Innovation Center

In this session, Bill Boone will discuss how the efforts of the Georgia Agriculture Innovation Center are keeping Georgia’s number one industry globally competitive.  He will also discuss how the Center is working with Georgia universities to keep Georgia’s $55 billion agriculture industry on the cutting edge of technology.

12:00 Noon        Adjourn

Hotel Information

The Savannah Riverfront Marriott

(912) 233-7722

Room Rate:  $162 plus tax

Cut-off date:  April 14 , 2008

Registration Fees

Banker:  $250

Spouse:  $45

Register For This Event