This weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to travel to Louisville, Kentucky as part of the HayTalk team for the 47th annual National Farm Machinery Show. To sum it all up: lots of equipment. Entirely TOO MANY people. Tired feet. But it was a lot of fun and there were lots of things to see. And nearly everyone I talked to seem to be from Illinois.
NFMS happens to be one of the largest farm shows in the country, showcasing everything from row crop equipment and efficiency tools to livestock handling equipment. Heck, there was even some new designs for milking parlor equipment for my dairy friends out there. The general outlook for folks was positive for Agriculture in 2012. Strong prices in most commodities, combined with strong and growing global demands, have everyone in bright spirits. However, many were discussing the growing drought in the Mid Western states this winter as soil moisture levels remain low with the lack of snowfall.
There were many youth groups in attendance, and being a Saturday, many families were there. It was good to see a strong youth presence at the show. One thing I definitely noticed was the emphasis on efficiency and precision. Most of this was focused on the use of technology and equipment. Farmers are producing more with less and we’re utilizing technology to do this.
It was also great to catch up with the HayTalk crew all in one place. We’re working on great things for the bi-weekly Twitter chat and online forum for the coming year. Keep an eye out!
Who else was able to make it to Louisville for the show? What were your general observations?
Here’s some photos from the show. Jesse Bussard also has more posted.
