U.S. agriculture’s competitive advantage in the world depends especially on leaders with a passion for progress – leaders who will gather in New Orleans to hear J.B. Penn, chief economist for Deere & Co., kick off the U.S. Grains Council’s “Year of Competitiveness,� at the 2011 International Marketing Conference and Annual Membership Meeting, Feb. 6-10.

Penn, who served for five years as USDA undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services, will offer a big-picture view of major trends in world agriculture and the outlook for U.S. exports.

His keynote address will set the stage for speakers and discussions that explore the infrastructure challenges the U.S. must address to maintain its agricultural competitiveness.

“Dr. Penn brings a lifetime of economic analysis and international experience to this discussion,� said Tom Sleight, USGC vice president of operations and membership. “We expect his insights will provide the lead-off for a dynamic dialogue in New Orleans.�

A native of Arkansas, Penn holds an undergraduate degree from Arkansas State University, an M.S. from Louisiana State University, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University.

Penn began his career at USDA, where he advanced through several positions to become deputy administrator for economics and also served as senior staff economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers before moving to the private sector.

He became a founding principal and president of Economic Perspectives, Inc., which was later acquired by Sparks Companies, Inc. Penn served as senior vice president and head of Sparks’ Washington office from 1988 to 2001, when he returned to USDA. He joined Deere & Co., in 2006.

In addition to his responsibilities at Deere, Penn is a Fellow of the American Agricultural Economics Association and involved in a variety of globally focused committees, including the International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council.

For further details or to register for the Council’s meeting, call (202) 789-0789 or click here.