Des Moines Register 01-30-07

Farm Progress Show chooses Boone site

JERRY PERKINS Register Farm Editor

The 2008 Farm Progress Show, scheduled for Aug. 26-28, will be held on a new, permanent biennial site east of Boone, organizers of the show announced today.

The new site for the outdoor farm show will be developed on about 600 acres at U.S. Highway 30 and Iowa Highway 17, where the show will be held every other year.

In alternate years, the show will be held at the other permanent biennial facility in Decatur, Ill.

Construction will begin this spring and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2008 show.

The Iowa show location will be known as the Central Iowa Expo and will host other events and activities when the Farm Progress Show in not being held.

Landowners and farmers who are the show site’s host families include Robert and Eric Ziel, June Isaacson and Alan Schoff.

The central Iowa location is close to major four-lane and interstate highways and hotels and restaurants, said Don Tourte, Farm Progress national sales and events director.

Iowa State University is located a few miles east in Ames.

"The nearness to Iowa State will be a great asset to the Farm Progress Show," said Tourte. "The show and the show’s host publication, Wallaces Farmer, have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the university."

The decision to move the Farm Progress Show to the two permanent sites was made to reduce the risk of weather-related cancellations and to offer enhanced facilities, additional programming and create a familiar experience for both visitors and exhibitors, said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress show manager.

The 2007 Farm Progress Show will be held Aug. 28-30 in Decatur, Ill. This year’s show will be the 54th.

For more information, go to www.FarmProgressShow.com. The Farm Progress Show is owned by Farm Progress Cos., located in Carol Stream, Ill. The company owns Des Moines area-based Wallaces Farmer and 22 other magazines, performs marketing research and does custom publishing.