Campus Life

Agricultural business and technology on display at Ag Progress Days

Field machinery demonstrations are a popular way for Ag Progress Days visitors to see what the latest agricultural technology can do under real-world conditions. Credit: Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With hundreds of commercial vendors, demonstrations of new products and technologies, and a slew of experts on hand from academia, government and industry, Penn State's Ag Progress Days offers a unique opportunity for producers to learn new production methods and improve their operations.

That's according to Bob Oberheim, Ag Progress Days manager, who noted that the event, which takes place Aug. 18-20, offers the efficiency of one-stop shopping for those connected to production agriculture and related businesses.

"With weather extremes, changing governmental regulations and international competition, it seems that producing food and fiber to support a growing world population keeps getting more complicated and challenging every year," Oberheim said. "We strive to provide a forum where producers can get expert advice and learn about the technologies, educational programs and research that can help them enhance efficiency and productivity."

Ag Progress Days will feature nearly 500 commercial and educational exhibits, several field demonstrations and a variety of tours and workshops covering a wide variety of production, business, conservation and energy topics.

Commercial exhibitors will display virtually every product category, including field machinery, milking systems, animal genetics, storage structures, seed, feed, tools, trailers, sprayers, mixers, livestock housing, utility vehicles, fertilizers, fencing, financial products, insurance and more.

A popular feature of Ag Progress Days, the field machinery demonstrations, provides visitors with a firsthand look at how the latest models perform, Oberheim said. "Visitors can watch and compare machinery from different manufacturers doing work under real-world conditions."

A new demonstration in 2015 will spotlight equipment used in chopping corn for silage. Also demonstrated during all three days of the event will be alfalfa hay mowing, cover-crop planting, hay rakes and tedders, hay baling and bale handling. All demonstrations are weather-permitting.

At the Agricultural Safety and Health Tent and demonstration area, Penn State Extension specialists will conduct a demonstration highlighting the safe operation of skid steer loaders, including ways to reduce tipping incidents, entrapment by the loader arms, running over bystanders and coworkers, and more. Experts also will offer farm accident rescue simulations involving agricultural equipment, including demonstrations of emergency scene stabilization and patient-extrication techniques. Attendees can get information about several types of farm-safety programs and agricultural emergency-response resources.

Oberheim pointed out that Ag Progress Days attendees also can ask questions of Penn State faculty specialists and extension educators and talk with experts about the latest research findings, best practices, business issues and governmental regulations that could affect their operations. He said information will be available on issues related to dairy, livestock and crop production; animal health; soil conservation; water quality; and ag renewable energy.

In addition, horse enthusiasts and owners also can get the latest information on tack and equipment, training, handling, health and business practices at the Ag Progress Days Equine Experience.

Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, 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. on Aug. 18; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 19; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 20. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. Twitter users can find and share information about the event by using the hashtag #agprogressdays, and Facebook users can find the event at http://www.facebook.com/AgProgressDays.

 

 

Last Updated August 5, 2015

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