MTGA Summit Event

Enjoy a getaway for you and the family at Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, MN.

What is the MTGA Summit?

The Summer Summit, hosted by the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (MTGA), is an event that brings to together all sectors of the turkey industry from Minnesota and beyond. The Summit is an occasion for turkey industry stakeholders to gather for premier educational opportunities, policy discussion, and a poultry industry focused allied industry showcase/tradeshow.

Who should Attend?

MTGA members and their families
Turkey farmers who pay the checkoff
Former/retired turkey growers
Those looking to connect to the Minnesota turkey industry

What Do I Get for my Registration Fee?

All meals are included with registration, including the hit Turkey Taste-Off!
Premier educational sessions
Allied vendor fair
World-class networking opportunities
Access to Arrowwood Resort amenities

The 2023 Turkey toss Cornhole tournament!

Turkey Toss returns!

Join fellow attendees for some friendly competition during the "Turkey Toss" corn hole tournament. This tournament is designed to be a fundraiser to build foundational funds for turkey industry leadership development courses. Be sure to sign up at registration! Winners will receive excellent prizes, a custom made traveling trophy, and obviously - bragging rights! Interested in participating, but don't have a teammate? No worries! We'll connect you with other interested participants.

Keynote Speaker

Hunter Pinke:

No Bad Days: Overcoming adversity and mental mindset. Life hits you, and your response determines your path forward. Draw from North Dakotan Hunter Pinke’s experience of going from Division I football player to a chest-down paraplegic at age 22. Pinke gives tangible examples of how to choose joy and live life with no bad days.

Jake Vlaminck, MTGA President, serving Pulled Turkey Tacos

Turkey Taste-Off - Call For Recipes!

Email your best turkey recipe to info@minnesotaturkey.com and it may be featured at the Turkey Taste Off on June 15th!

The winning Turkey Taste Off recipe will:

Be the featured recipe card at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair.
Receive free registration and hotel to the 2025 MTGA Summit.
Serve as a celebrity judge for the 2025 Turkey Taste Off.

The runner-up will receive coupons for Turkey To Go at the Minnesota State Fair.

Awards Nominations are Open

MTGA Awards

Ranelius Award: The most prestigious honor given by MTGA. The award is named for Sven Ranelius, a founding father and the second president of MTGA, often described as a quiet, unselfish person who was very dedicated to the turkey industry in Minnesota. Nominees are evaluated on two central criteria: their contribution to the industry over a period of time; and the quality of that contribution.

Vernal and Marlene Neslon recieved the 2023 Ranelius Award for their lifelong service to the turkey industry.

Allied Lifetime Achievement Award: MTGA’s Allied Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals in allied industries who have provided excellent long-time service to Minnesota’s turkey industry and are well-respected by his/her peers and MTGA members. The award is given annually at the MTGA Summer Summit.

MTRPC Awards

Promoter of the Year: Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council annually seeks a Turkey Promoter of the Year, which could be an individual, restaurant, civic/community group, retail establishment or other entity promoting turkey in a positive way.

Former MTRPC President Pete Klaphake and Former MTGA President Jes Westbrock presenting the MTRPC Promoter of the Year award to John Scharffbillig on behalf of the MN Barbeque Society

Arrowwood Resort

Address: 2100 Arrowwood Lane, Alexandria, MN 56308

Website: arrowwoodresort.com

Room rate $159 per night. Book room by calling 320-762-1124 and request a reservation for the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association room block. The reservation block ends May 27, 2023.

Hotel registration includes waterpark passes, access to the 18-hole executive putting course, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, lawn games, sand volleyball, public bonfires, indoor tennis, basketball, indoor pool, and whirlpool.

Want to make a weekend of it? MTGA has negotiated special rate of $219.00 + taxes per room per night. (Regular rate for those nights is currently at $299.00+) The special weekend rate does not include the passes to the waterpark. Waterpark passes can be purchased at the rate of $10.00+ taxes per pass, per session, per day.

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Allied Industry Involvement:

Sponsorship

MTGA has revamped the sponsorship tiers to support a variety of company budgets. There are several general and special sponsorship levels that offer great company recognition.

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities and the 2024 vendor fair HERE!

Sign up for sponsorship opportunities and reserve your booth HERE!

Vendor Fair

Why Participate?

Access to turkey growers on Minnesota's over 600 turkey farms.
Access to representatives from Minnesota's three turkey processors.
Premium 6-foot table location inside the main conference room.
Promotion to Summit attendees as a vendor participant.
Promotion in electronic materials prior to and after the Summit.
Promotion in print materials prior to and after the Summit.

To register for the Vendor Fair, register one attendee for "MTGA Current Allied Member + Booth Space" for $450. All other attendees from your company can register for the "MTGA Current Allied Member" rate.

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Agenda:

8:00-11:00 Registration

8:00-9:00 Committee Meetings

9:15-10:00 Interactive Learning – What to Expect when Infected?

This interactive panel discussion features perspectives of turkey growers in Minnesota who’ve experienced HPAI on their farm – some once, some multiple times. Hear what they learned, what they wished they knew beforehand, and how they changed their day-to-day activities going forward. Information from this session will steer grower education programming and be used as input to modify response efforts going forward.

10:00:11:00 Networking with Vendors and Growers

11:00-11:45 Interactive Learning – Understanding Today’s Consumer – Darren Williams, Curious Plot

Food fuels our bodies, nourishes our minds, and makes spending time with family and friends more meaningful. It can also influence our health and our hobbies and give us a taste of other cultures. Curious Plot is a marketing agency obsessed with food and driven to explore consumer cravings now and into the future. Are you curious about what’s making the plate with consumers across the U.S.? Then this session is for you!

12:00-12:30 Lunch

12:30-1:30 Keynote Speaker – Hunter Pinke

No Bad Days: Overcoming adversity and mental mindset. Life hits you, and your response determines your path forward. Draw from North Dakotan Hunter Pinke’s experience of going from Division I football player to a chest-down paraplegic at age 22. Pinke gives tangible examples of how to choose joy and live life with no bad days.

1:30 -2:00 MTGA and MTRPC Annual Meetings

2:00-2:30 Networking with Vendors and Growers

2:30-4:00 Turkey 101

2:30-3:00 Feed and Grain Markets
3:30-4:00 Implementing New State HR Laws
2:30-4:00 Media and Social Media Training with Darren Williams, Curious Plot

5:00-7:00 Turkey Taste off

6:00-9:00 Corn Hole Tournament

Agenda

Friday 6/30

8:00-9:30 Breakfast Briefing

State Legislative update and NTF Update

10:00 – 12:00 MTGA and MTRPC Board Meetings

9:30 - 10:00 Networking with Vendors and Growers

10:00 – 11:30 – Turkey Disease and Research Rally

10:00 – 10:20– Dr. Johnson Research Project 1
10:25 – 10:45 – Dr. Johnson Research Project 2
10:50 – 11:10 – Dr. Nezworski, Dr. Cremers, and Dr. Cardona Research Project
11:15 – 11:35 – UMN Avian metapneumovirus Diagnostics Update

12:00-1:00 Lunch and Awards