University News

WIU 48th Ag Mech Farm Expo Feb. 10-11

January 29, 2018

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MACOMB, IL -- The 2018 Agriculture Mechanization (Ag Mech) Club at Western Illinois University will host its 48th annual Farm Expo Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 10-11 at Western Hall.

The expo is open free to the public from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Free parking is available in Q-Lot, adjacent to Western Hall.

This year's event currently has 285 vendors registered, but students from the club are continuing to try to increase that number.

The event is believed to be the largest student-run agriculture show in the United States. Ag Mech Club President Keely Egelhoff, a senior agriculture major from Medora, IL, said the Ag Mech Club is made up of 20-30 student members, including 15 who have leadership positions with the show's organization.

WIU Vice President of Expo Operations, Amber Hoener, a junior pre-nursing major from Sutter, IL, said working with the show provides students with the opportunity to develop a variety of skills.

"It has taught me how to better manage time and work with people, as well as how to make light of a difficult situation," she said. "Planning is definitely a full-time job."

Instead of the usual opening ceremony or a guest speaker, Egelhoff said this year's event will instead highlight research by WIU School of Agriculture students and faculty. The displays will be located across from the information booth on the main floor of Western Hall.

Also new this year is a Kids Corner on the second floor, where children and their parents can play games.

This year's event will again include "Tot-Rod Pedal Pulls," beginning at noon Sunday, as well as displays of farm tractors and machinery, ag sales and service companies, ag management companies, emerging ag technology, livestock supplies, crop supplies, conservation, ag structures and new cars and trucks. The second floor of the show will feature a farm toy show and crafts and there will be a raffle of door prizes and two sets of bag games, made by club members, will be offered for sale.

Ag Mech Club Advisor Assistant Professor Dan Atherton said money raised through the show helps provide supplies and equipment for shop work the club completes, as well as scholarships for agriculture students and seed money for next year's show.

Following the Ag Mech Show on Saturday, all WIU School of Agriculture alumni and friends are invited to Buffalo Wild Wings on East Jackson Street for a WIU Aggies alumni social from 5-7 p.m. Appetizers will be provided, compliments of MTC Communications. Join WIU Aggies today at bitly.com/WIUAggies to reconnect with the past and support the future of the WIU School of Agriculture.

Follow the Farm Expo on Facebook at facebook.com/wiufarmexpo. For more information about the School of Agriculture, visit wiu.edu/ag.

Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing