UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- As Part Of Pennsylvania's Largest Outdoor Agricultural Exposition, The Commercial Exhibits At Penn State's Ag Progress Days Always Emphasize Demonstrations Of The Latest Innovations In Agricultural Machinery. The 2004 Edition, Set For Aug. 17-19 At Rock Springs, Will Not Break The Tradition.

This year's new demonstration will focus on planters and drills, with four manufacturers bringing a total of five or six different drills or planters. Ag Progress Days manager Robert Oberheim says attendees can make head-to-head comparisons of the machinery and see real-time on-site performance.

"Several companies will plant a crop in the first week of August," Oberheim says. "Visitors can see expert representatives demonstrate their machines in the field, then go to the planted area and see a germinated crop," Oberheim says. "They can evaluate the equipment for uniformity and accuracy by examining the plantings."

Oberheim says that today's planters must meet farmers' demands for versatility and be able to plant multiple crops.

"Farmers are diversifying," he says. "With these planters, you can plant corn or soybeans one day, then change it over to plant pumpkins or snap beans the next. We're offering farmers a chance to see the new technology in action in the field." For two consecutive years, Ag Progress Days has set new records for the number of exhibitors, and Oberheim is expecting to match or surpass last year's record total of 355 commercial exhibitors. Vendors -- including as many as 50 new exhibitors for 2004 -- will showcase everything from buildings, equipment, seed and fertilizer to insurance, fences and crop consulting services.

"The diversity of the exhibitors and vendors that attend Ag Progress Days is really amazing," he says. "They come from every section of the nation -- we even have an exhibitor coming from as far away as Florida for the first time. Exhibitors from such a wide geographic area bring a diverse base of equipment, services and supplies and we'll again have something for everyone: vegetable farmers, beef and dairy producers, small grain farmers and hay farmers all will find exhibitors to meet their needs."

Field demonstrations will benefit from good weather and a substantial crop of alfalfa to use in demonstrations of mowing, tedding, raking, baling and wrapping. Hay equipment, including several models of mowers, haybinds, handlers and the new hay masorators -- which re-crush the hay to speed drying time -- will be presented. This year's demonstrations will include round and large square balers, conventional wrappers and tubers. Soil conservation demonstrations will include manure injection systems.

The ever-popular skid-steer rodeo competitions return and winners can move on to a larger regional championship competition. Several companies will have their own custom demo areas in a portion of the 500-acre Larson Center. In addition, a ride-and-drive area will give visitors a chance to test-drive various makes and models of harvesters, tractors and other machinery from several manufacturers.

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 Pa. Rt. 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 17; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 18; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 19. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call 800-PSU-1010 through Aug. 19, or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

###

EDITORS: Contact Bob Oberheim at 814-865-2081, 814-692-5262 or RLO1@PSU.EDU (e-mail).

Writer/Editor: Gary Abdullah Office 814-863-2708 FAX 814-863-9877