UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- "Engineering for YOUR Life," is the theme for this year's Ag Progress Days, Aug 16-18.

Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on State Route 45.

Special exhibits will demonstrate agricultural and biological engineering innovations from the field to the final product, including new technologies to ensure safety and security of workers and the food supply, and the development of sustainable solutions for agricultural production, renewable energy and the environment.

Ag Progress Days will feature more than 350 commercial and educational exhibits displaying the latest goods and services, state-of-the-art field machinery demonstrations and cutting-edge Penn State research.

"We are running well ahead of the number of exhibitors we had at this time last year," says Bob Oberheim, Ag Progress Days manager. "We expect this to be one of the largest shows we've ever had."

A new field demonstration at this year's event will highlight drills and seeders. "We expect to have as many as four drills and two seeders," says Ronald Hoover, Penn State coordinator for on-farm research. "A section of the demonstration area will be preplanted with a drill set both correctly and incorrectly to demonstrate proper drill adjustment when planting small grains or forages in tilled and untilled situations. Attendees also will be able to view the differences in stand density and uniformity prior to and after the field demonstration."

Field demonstrations will also include mowing, raking, baling and handling of alfalfa hay, says Oberheim.

Other activities planned for the event include research, conservation and forestry tours; family living programs and demonstrations; horse demonstrations; and presentations on dairy, livestock crop and equine production. There will also be special activities for children such as a corn maze, wildlife displays and a tree-climbing adventure.

"We are looking forward to another diverse and exciting Ag Progress Days show this year," Oberheim says.

For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free from July 5 to August 18 or visit the Ag Progress Day site on the Web at http://apd.cas.psu.edu/.

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Writer: Ryan Szivos Editor: Jeff Mulhollem Penn State Ag Sciences News Office 814-863-2719