Even those with the most casual interest in agriculture will want to be on hand when the seventh annual Farm News Ag Show kicks off Wednesday at the Career Education Building on the Iowa Central Community College campus in Fort Dodge. The show will offer an exciting educational opportunity.

The two-day event will showcase the latest technology in grain and livestock products, agricultural services, seed varieties and farm toys. Approximately 70 exhibitors will be on hand. The range of their offerings is certain to be truly outstanding. Those who pay close attention to agricultural trends will find much on the show floor to expand their knowledge of options available today as well as those on the drawing boards for tomorrow.

Food for thought, of course, is at the core of a successful exhibition and this year’s show promises to meet that goal superbly. Featured speakers include:

? David Kruse, president of CommStock Investments and Brazil Iowa Farms, both based in Royal, will speak from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday on new paradigms for the agricultural economy.

? Jim Sturdevant, director of POET’s Project Liberty, will speak from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday on the attempt to make cellulosic ethanol commercially viable.

? Aaron Moore, director of the Webster County Farm Service Agency, will provide a Farm Bill update from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.

? Mike Bergmeier, president of ShieldAg and Acra-Plant, based in Hutchinson, Kan., will discuss research and development in strip till and precision agriculture from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday.

? Mike White, Iowa State University’s leading viticulturist, speaking from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday will provide an overview of grape growing in Iowa.

Intellectual stimulation will be complemented with an assortment of good food.

Lunch both Wednesday and Thursday will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The grilling on Wednesday will be by Webster County Pork Producers and on Thursday by the Webster County Beef producers. Members of the Ag Relations Task Force of the Fort Dodge Area Chamber of Commerce will handle service both days with the help of ag students from Iowa Central.

A free pancake breakfast will be served to the first 525 visitors from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The sponsors for this event are Lundell Plastics and Wagner Truck & Auto Sales.

There will be much to see and learn at the show, but in addition to all that, there’s also the opportunity to win any of several prizes with a total value of $2,600, compliments of R&J Material Handling and Farm News.

Partnering with Farms News to bring this show to the farm community are Anderson Implement/SAME Deutz-Fahr, Bank of America, Brokaw Supply Co., Fort Dodge Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Relations Task Force, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa State University Extension Webster County office, John Pitzer Sales, Lundell Plastics, Poet Biorefining-Gowrie, R & J, Material Handling, United Bank of Iowa, Wagner Truck & Auto Sales, the Webster County Pork Producers and the Webster County Beef Producers.

The Farm News Ag Show 2008 promises to be a splendid opportunity for education, good conversation, some outstanding food and just plain fun.

See you there.