Boone set for 63rd Farm Progress Show

VISITORS TO THE 2014 Farm Progress Show, at Central Iowa Expo, between Ames and Boone along U.S. Highway 30, stroll through AGCO’s exhibit that replicated the entire corn, soybean and alfalfa growing seasons with the equipment available to help in managing those crops. The 2016 show is set to start its three-day run on Tuesday.
BOONE – Farm Progress Show, the nation’s greatest ag showcase, is nearly ready for visitors, the show will be held Tuesday through Thursday on its permanent show site in Boone, (a few minutes west of Ames) just off U.S. Highway 30.
The exhibit field is open to visitors from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.
Advance tickets can be purchased on the show’s website, for more event details, visit www.FarmProgressShow.com.
The annual event showcases the latest technology in agriculture, including new products to be unveiled at the show by many of the industry’s largest manufacturers and suppliers.
A staple of the Farm Progress Show has always been the field demonstrations.
This year is no exception with a full line up of demonstrations scheduled.
The combines fire up at 11 a.m each show day.
Additionally, you will see auger carts collecting grain on the go, and more.
Tillage tools and other special machines will operate each day from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. This gives visitors an opportunity to view all of the competitors in each segment running side by side.
There will also be a tillage class for tools that want to run faster to show their performance features.
Most of the new tillage tools, with nearly a dozen on the market, are recommended to run at 7 to 9 miles per hour. When they are run at slower speeds, you don’t always get a true picture of how these machines work. The advent of vertical tillage has made it necessary to change the rules, and boost the longstanding speed limit on the demo field.
Vertical-tillage tools can operate at their optimum speed once more traditional tillage tools have made their passes.
Another favorite attraction for Farm Progress Show visitors are the Ride ‘n Drives.
This year, visitors can test drive a new truck, ATV and tractor tires. Yamaha, Ram Trucks, Michelin, Chevrolet, and Titan Tire are all participating in the Ride ‘n Drives.
All Ride ‘n Drive participants will be located east of exhibit field by Tram Loading.
As in 2014 and 2015, this year’s show will also have an Annex located outside the main entrance. The Annex was created to accommodate companies who wanted to participate in the Farm Progress Show but the main exhibit field was sold out.
Companies like Becks Hybrid and Iowa State University can be found in the Annex. Antique Row was also re-located to the Annex to give the antique tractor clubs more space to display vintage tractors and equipment.
Syngenta is sponsoring Syngenta Square at the Annex.
It’s a place where visitors can stop for a beverage, including a range of brews from Iowa Craft Brewery members and listen to live music.
A great meeting place at the end of the day.
A second Varied Industries Tent has been added this year. This new North VIT is located between Fourth and Fifth Street, in the northwest quadrant of the show exhibit area.
A diverse group of 26 companies will be set up in the north VIT and range from high-tech exhibitors to parts services.
About the FPS
Farm Progress Show (www.FarmProgressShow.com) annually hosts more than 600 exhibitors displaying new farm equipment, tractors, combines and farm implements; seed and crop protection products; and many additional farm supplies and services.
The FPS is rated No. 1 (co-ranked with Husker Harvest Days, a Penton Agriculture event) on the Tradeshow News Network’s list of the nation’s largest trade shows.
Producers from the U.S. and around the world attend this industry-leading annual agricultural event.
Ag manufacturers and suppliers from across the country and around the world are exhibitors. Field demonstrations are a show mainstay.
Field demos include side-by-side tillage techniques, GPS and precision equipment, and tractor and combine performance comparisons, when weather allows.
Live cattle-handling demonstrations include the newest cattle chutes, equipment, animal health products and work techniques.
Additionally, the show features restored antique machinery and entertainment.
The show is an excellent learning opportunity for producers and includes a wide variety of learning opportunities presented by exhibitors.
The Farm Progress Show is a Penton Agriculture (www.PentonAgriculture.com) event. Penton Agriculture is a division of Penton.