Special Report

Farm Progress Show gets underway Tuesday

The Farm Progress show, the nation’s largest outdoor farm and equipment show, gets underway Tuesday on the show site near Boone, Iowa.

Show manager Matt Jungman says it should be a good year for the harvest demonstrations.

“We have about 360 acres worth of early corn that’s going to be ready for harvest,” Jungman says. “We actually pulled off some of the corn to open up the fields this week and it was testing about 25 to 27 percent—so by show time, it’s going to be just perfect for harvest.”

One of big draws at the Farm Progress Show is the unveiling of new farm equipment. Jungman says there will be several new equipment reveals at this year’s show.

“Case IH is coming with a new product. The AGCO Challenger, the big new fixed frame, high horsepower tractor, is going to be unveiled at the show. And the Tribine, which is the new concept in harvesting, a combination of a combine and auger cart all in one big unit.”

Jungman says, despite the depressed farm economy, exhibitors have not backed away from the show.

“We have over 600 exhibitors and a sold-out exhibit field,” he says. “It speaks to the resilience of the ag industry, in general, that the show continues to thrive in this somewhat down economy.”

Check back for more reports from the Farm Progress Show with Brownfield’s Cyndi Young, Mark Dorenkamp and Ken Anderson.