UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Visitors to Ag Progress Days, Aug. 14-16, can learn how to convert farm waste to energy and make farms more profitable, see the latest in agricultural equipment, protect against disease, wander through a corn maze, take part in a treasure hunt, get gardening tips or climb a tree.

"From the Ground Up: Building a Better Environment" is the theme of the event sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Special exhibits this year will feature research and educational programs designed to protect our natural resources while enhancing agricultural profitability and human health. Displays will focus on converting agricultural wastes and byproducts to energy; water issues for the farm, home and community; increasing the profitability of small farms through niche markets; protecting and restoring wetlands and preventing agricultural pollution through quality assurance programs.

Activities planned for this year's event include a farm equipment manufacturers' "show-and- tell," a skid steer rodeo, a special high-tunnel vegetable production tour and a farm vehicle and equipment highway safety workshop.

Field demonstrations will feature hay mowing, baling, bale handling, haylage chopping and bagging and rakes and tedders. In addition, three specialty-line equipment companies will demonstrate a variety of equipment, such as planters, forage mixers, loaders, bale processors and forage platforms.

Other exhibits, tours and workshops will feature cutting-edge research and information on crops and soils, animal science, dairy and livestock production, integrated pest management, farm safety, conservation practices and woodlot management. More than 340 commercial and noncommercial exhibitors also will be on hand to display the latest goods and services.

In addition, a variety of family and consumer-oriented attractions are planned, including family living exhibits and demonstrations, a corn maze, largest weed contest, cut flower beds and exhibits, storytelling, horse exhibitions, live animals, lawn and garden advice and a museum featuring antique farm and home implements and a silent auction.

A number of presentations will address current health issues such as foot-and-mouth, West Nile, and Lyme diseases. A public forum on hot topics in today's agriculture also is scheduled.

On Thursday morning, Aug. 16, the Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will hold a "town meeting" open to farmers and other members of the public who wish to discuss current issues with committee members. A presentation also is scheduled on crop insurance issues. In addition, visitors will be able to take home a variety of free publications produced by the College of Agricultural Sciences and get information about the college's undergraduate programs.

Visitors to the Family Room Building at Ag Progress Days can participate in a treasure hunt and other activities. Look for the Kids Corner, an area where children and parents can relax together while doing art activities, reading stories and engaging in water play. Cooking demonstrations will take place throughout the day in the demonstration area.

Home gardeners and professional growers can get answers to any kind of question related to home landscaping and the cut-flower business. Specialists in horticulture, plant pathology, entomology and turfgrass will be on hand at the Landscape, Lawn and Garden "Ask the Experts" tent on East 7th St.

The demonstration gardens will showcase more than 100 flower varieties, including zinnias, asters, celosia, sunflowers, strawflowers and other annuals, as well as perennial plants and several varieties of woody plants popular in the cut-flower market.

"Six Thousand Years of Small Grains" will be the featured theme at the Pasto Agricultural Museum. Visitors can see historic grain production items used for soil preparation, sowing, harvesting/handling, threshing, power, cleaning and grain handling.

Whether for power, transportation or companionship, humans have bonded with horses for 6000 years. Visitors can see why at the horse events, which take place at the Equine Exhibits Building and Horse Arena on Main Street, behind the Special Events Building.

As biosciences, computer technologies and other innovations impact every phase of animal agriculture, it gets tougher for livestock and dairy producers to keep up. Producers who want to stay current should visit the animal sciences exhibits area.

The exhibits, sponsored by Penn State's departments of dairy and animal science and veterinary science, will feature the best available technologies to make them accessible to farmers and producers, according to Bill Heald, professor of dairy science and exhibit coordinator.

"We're highlighting the best of the new and the old, to help farmers sort out what's available," he says. "There are so many new inventions and initiatives, sometimes it's good to have an expert there to help you decide what's a real innovation, and what's a flash in the pan."

Next to the Farm Safety Demonstration Area, AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians presents activities on farm safety, modifications for agricultural work sites, and Agromedicine information.

At the "Kids' Climb," professional arborists will help amateur tree climbers to climb to 25 feet -- or to their comfort level -- whichever comes first. Visitors also can learn about the job of an arborist, see a display of tree defects, decay fungi and special tools and equipment used in tree care.

Food booths serving everything from Penn State Creamery ice cream to steak sandwiches will be available during Ag Progress Days.

Because of concerns over the possible transmission of foot-and-mouth disease and other foreign animal diseases, visitors who have been overseas within two weeks of attending Ag Progress Days are asked not to visit the event's live-animal exhibit areas.

Penn State's 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 Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free through Aug.16, or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Bob Oberheim, Ag Progress Days manager, at 814-865-2081 or 814-692-5262.

Contacts:

Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax