Showing progress: Penn State’s Ag Progress Days showcases the latest in farming technology
Ag Progress Days is one of the largest agricultural expos in the eastern United States, featuring nearly 500 commercial and educational exhibits, crop displays, machinery demonstrations, guided research tours, family and youth activities, horse exhibitions, workshops and the Pasto Agricultural Museum. Photo by Michael Houtz courtesy Penn State
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days will debut the FIRA Robotics Village East Coast, an exhibit of cutting-edge technologies designed to address labor shortages, improve efficiency and support the future of farming. Photo courtesy Penn State
Ag Progress Days is one of the largest agricultural expos in the eastern United States, featuring nearly 500 commercial and educational exhibits, crop displays, machinery demonstrations, guided research tours, family and youth activities, horse exhibitions, workshops and the Pasto Agricultural Museum. Photo by Michael Houtz courtesy Penn State
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days will debut the FIRA Robotics Village East Coast, an exhibit of cutting-edge technologies designed to address labor shortages, improve efficiency and support the future of farming. Photo courtesy Penn State
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The latest in farming products, services, equipment and technology will be on full display during this year's Ag Progress Days.
The event, Pennsylvania's largest outdoor agricultural exposition and hosted by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, will be held Aug. 11-13 at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs.
This is a special year for the event, which is marking its 75th year as its roots go back to 1951 when it was created as the Grassland Field Days. According to the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences History, the event was officially renamed Agricultural Progress Days in 1969 and found its permanent home at Rock Springs in 1976.
Ag Progress Days is an important event, said state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.
"Every August, Ag Progress Days brings Pennsylvanians in agriculture, both farmers and service providers, to the research fields and barns of our world-class Land Grant University to gather practical knowledge to feed our progress individually and together," Redding said. "From precision equipment and technology to new methods of boosting soil, animal health, and crop yields, to technical expertise and funding opportunities, Ag Progress Days is the right time and place for farmers to equip themselves for success. From first-generation start-ups to tenth-generation farming veterans, the event is designed to help make the work of farming more efficient, productive, and profitable. That work -- feeding families, fueling our economy, and caring for our land -- is crucial."
"We are excited, our number of exhibitors is higher than last year. We have brought a lot of new things to the table this year, we are not only celebrating America's 250th birthday, it is also our 50th anniversary on site. It is an awesome feeling to know we have a lot of exhibitors who have been here for all 50 years. Our exhibitors are the reason we have a show," said show manager Jesse Darlington.
Darlington expects to have about 450 vendors/exhibitors from across the United States and Canada at the event, which usually attracts more than 420,000 visitors.
Darlington said Ag Progress Days is a mainstay event for Penn State and the college.
"It is the College of Agricultural Sciences' showcase and it is also the showcase of the ag industry to show their products and what is going on," Darlington said.
Exhibitors will cover a wide range of product categories, including field machinery, milking systems, animal genetics, storage structures, feed, tools, trailers, sprayers, mixers, livestock housing, utility vehicles, fertilizers, fencing, financial products and insurance.
Something new this year is robotics, Darlington said.
A new addition this year is the FIRA Robotics Village -- a special exhibit hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences and organized by the Robotics Factory of Pittsburgh and GOFAR, a global accelerator of agricultural robotics.
Visitors to the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building will have the chance to learn more about the college's cutting-edge research driving innovation in modern agriculture.
The exhibits will highlight the college's Technology for Agriculture and Living Systems initiative, which brings researchers and extension specialists together across disciplines to create real-world solutions that boost food production, protect
Pennsylvania's natural landscapes, and build healthier, more resilient communities for the future.
Visitors can see agricultural safety in action through live demonstrations and interactive educational programs at the Farm Safety Demonstration Area and the Rural Health and Safety Tent.
This year's safety demonstrations will focus on the hazards associated with skid-steer operation. Compact and highly versatile, skid steers are commonly used on farms, landscaping sites and construction projects to move materials, clean livestock areas and complete a wide range of tasks. The team will introduce skid steer dangers, operational recommendations and practical safety solutions related to blind spots.
Visitors to the Crops, Soils and Conservation Area can see a variety of exhibits, activities and demonstrations featuring crop management, renewable energy, conservation education, crop planting and natural resources.
Specialists from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and other organizations will answer questions about crop production, weed identification and biofuels.
Whether diagnosing plant problems, identifying insects or planning a landscape, Penn State Extension Master Gardeners can help visitors tackle gardening questions with research-based advice in the Yard and Garden Area.
The Yard and Garden Area, located at West 11th Street and Demonstration Alley, will feature educational presentations and tours of the demonstration gardens showcasing practical gardening techniques and ideas for home gardens.
Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 11; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 12; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 13. Admission and parking are free.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.