annual conference

NEW YORK, May 8 /CNW/ - BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO), will hold its Agriculture, Protein and Fertilizer investor Conference on Wednesday, May 13 and Thursday, May 14, 2009, at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.

The event this year combines the Agriculture and Protein conference and Fertilizer conference and brings together senior management from leading companies for a broader look at the global sectors' current challenges and future opportunities.

Day 1 of the Conference will focus on agriculture and protein and will be hosted by award winning analyst Kenneth Zaslow, Director, Food and Agribusiness Research at BMO Capital Markets.

Day 2 of the Conference will focus on fertilizer and will be hosted by top ranked Fertilizer analyst and Managing Director, Edwin Chee as well as Joel Jackson, also a Fertilizer Analyst with BMO Capital Markets.

Included on the agenda are presentations by Dr. Robert Fraley, EVP & Chief Technology Officer at the Monsanto Company, Anatoly Lomakin, Director General at the JSC International Potash Company and Rakesh Kapur, Deputy Managing Director, Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd.

Presentations will be broadcast live and archived at:

http://www.bmocm.com/conferences/ agricultureproteinfertilizer2009/

An agenda with presentation times for the conference is also available on the web site.

Scheduled presenters include(x):

AgFeed Industries Inc. (FEED-NYSE) Gerard COO

Daignault

AJC International, Inc. (Private) Brad Allison President

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM-NYSE) Steve Mills EVP & CFO

John Rice EVP, Commercial

& Production

Bunge Ltd. (BG-NYSE) Alberto Weisser Chairman & CEO

Jacqualyn Fouse CFO

Cal-Maine Foods (CALM-NASDAQ) Fred Adams Chairman & CEO

Tim Dawson CFO

Corn Products International (CPO-NYSE) Illene S. Gordon Chairman,

President & CEO

Cheryl Beebe VP & CFO

Gold'n Plump Poultry (Private) Michael Helgeson CEO

House of Raeford Farms, Inc. (Private) Donald Taber President & COO

JBS S.A. (JBS-BOVESPA) Joesley Mendonca CEO

Batista

Monsanto Co. (MON-NYSE) Dr. Robert Farley EVP & Chief

Technology

Officer

POET (Private) Denny DeVos VP, Corporate

Finance

Poultry Perspective (Private) Paul Aho Principal

Sanderson Farms, Inc.