The 2017 Farm Progress Show started yesterday. And it was a beauty of a day!
Take a read below at this great editorial from the Bloomington Pantagraph.
It does a fantastic job at summarizing everything -- or nearly everything -- that's cool about the FPS.
I'm headed out there today.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt
Farm Progress Show is epicenter of ag world
(Editorial from pantagraph.com)
For three days this week, Decatur will be at the epicenter of the agriculture world.
The Farm Progress Show is in town, bringing with it more than 600 vendors and more than 100,000 spectators from throughout Central Illinois, the U.S. and more than 50 other countries who want to see the latest developments in ag technology.
Even in a community that is home to Archer Daniels Midland Co., there are those who see agriculture as nothing more than farmers, tractors, corn and soybeans.
The Farm Progress Show covers every aspect of the process, which is why it often is referred to as the super bowl of farm shows.
Want to see how a combine performs in the field? Of course, you can see that.
But visitors also can learn about the latest methods of preventing soil erosion, seed developments, grain storage and metal building options, use of drones, and animal care. They can test drive a variety of trucks, off-road toys and small implements.
So, you may be asking yourself what’s in it for me? I’m not a farmer. I’m never going to buy any of this stuff. Why should I care about the Farm Progress Show beyond the prospect of needing to change my morning commute because of the flood of vehicles clogging the area around Progress City?
Show organizers took over the grounds in July, thus starting the massive task of constructing new buildings, putting up dozens of tents and placing tons of rock, wood chips and landscaping blocks. That work will continue until the show opens on Tuesday.
Much of this work is being done by crews from as far away as Florida, who have spent the past few weeks living in area hotels, eating at local restaurants and shopping at local stores. These same people will be in town in the weeks following the show, spending even more money.
As the show gets closer, the company workers who staff the many booths come to town. It also brings in key government officials. This year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will lead a discussion of the upcoming Farm Bill.
Several members of Congress will be on hand. While here, Perdue will visit ADM and learn about the challenges facing a company that has undergone recent staff reductions locally and around the world. Addressing these concerns could prove pivotal to adding more jobs to the regional economy.
Then there’s the army of local volunteers, who do everything from staffing information booths and admission gates to driving trams and managing the parking and food areas.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” said Matt Jungmann, the show’s director.
For their work, Jungmann said these groups receive donations from the Farm Progress Show that have been used to make improvements to their church buildings, buy equipment for their school bands and show choirs and provide for community outreach programs.
Jungmann said early estimates put the show’s financial impact on the community at $10 million. He wouldn’t be surprised if that number isn’t higher.
That brings us back to the farmer. Armed with the latest information for improving their business, farmers can do an even better job of producing the crops and goods we need to feed the world.
Who doesn’t benefit from that?