Soybean farmers will gather Jan. 9, 2013, in Topeka for the Kansas Soybean Expo, themed "Kansas Soybeans: Fueling Innovations." The Kansas Soybean Association (KSA) organizes the annual event, with funding from the Kansas Soybean Commission (KSC), to coincide with the Topeka Farm Show.

It is at the Capital Plaza Hotel's Maner Conference Center at the Kansas Expocentre. Registration and exhibits open at 8:30 a.m., with the program scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. A reception will follow from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The opening session will feature a "Soybean Update" moderated by Gary Kilgore, a Kansas State University (K-State) emeritus professor of agronomy. The presenters will be Bill Schapaugh, Ph.D., K-State professor of soybean breeding; Chuck Rice, Ph.D., K-State distinguished professor of soil microbiology; and Doug Shoup, Ph.D., K-State southeast area agronomist. Schapaugh will discuss phenotyping using spectral analysis, Rice will address soybean inoculation, and Shoup will share the latest information about soybean fungicides and insecticides.

Next, representatives from the American Soybean Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Biodiesel Board and CommonGround Kansas will provide updates.

Brent Hajek, an Oklahoma soybean farmer and land-speed record-holder, will present the keynote address.

Hajek ran a 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup on B20 biodiesel to set a 182-mph land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 2011. The truck, which will be on display at the Topeka Farm Show, is mostly stock, with some customizations to increase fuel flow.

A "certified wild man" and race car fanatic, Hajek drives a totally worn-out 15-year-old pickup but spends money on his racing program. His goals are to develop new cars that pay tribute to the original cars in his Hajek Motorsports Museum and their drivers and to break their records using today's technology, biodiesel and other biofuels, and soy body panels and paint. Many scoffed at the idea that someone from Ames, Okla., population 150, could build record-breaking cars and get the top drivers to pilot them. He quickly proved them wrong.

Hajek also farms soybeans, wheat and corn in north-central Oklahoma and owns a trucking company. While most farmers harvest their crops with one or two combines over two weeks, he uses eight combines and a fleet of tractor-trailers to harvest his crops in one or two days. It is such a spectacle that Budweiser made a poster of it.

Greg Akagi, a farm broadcaster for the Kansas Agriculture Network, will be the master of ceremonies at the luncheon, and Kansas Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman will provide remarks. KSA and KSC will present awards and recognitions, including the DuPont Young Leader, the Conservation Legacy Award, the Kansas Soybean Yield and Quality Contests winners, and meritorious service awards. Sen. Pat Roberts will receive the Friend of Soy award and is the invited luncheon speaker.

KSA President Charles Atkinson, Great Bend, then will preside over the association's annual meeting, which will include the approval of policy resolutions and the board of directors elections.

The afternoon session will focus on planning for the future when Wichita-based meteorologist Mike Smith, senior vice president and chief innovation executive at AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, will address the audience.

For a complete program and the registration form or to request more information, visit http://www.KansasSoybeans.org on the Web or call 877-KS-SOYBEAN (877-577-6923). The registration fees are $15 for KSA members ($20 with a spouse) and $20 for other guests, with a $5 discount for anyone who registers by Jan. 2, 2013.