Annual Tulare fair showcases technology for farmers in the Central Valley

Another year of farming and dairy has begun, and for farmers it means to check out the biggest advancements and tools. Since 1968, World Ag Expo in Tulare has been in motion; starting out with 157 exhibitors and 28,000 to 100,000 attendees. Every year it continues to expand and attract more viewers.

World Ag Expo is held every year at the Tulare County Fairgrounds in Tulare, California. From all around the world, visitors come to experience different technologies and the latest equipment for farming. After years of growing popularity, the show has outgrown its grounds, leading to a shortage of space. In spite of the space shortage, the show directors decided to form an association that would establish an international agribusiness show within Tulare. This lead to the formation of International Agri-Center, Inc. The new location became the first facility in the Western United States to hold an agricultural show.

Each year, the Expo showcases the newest top ten products. This year, DairyProQ, shows off their first fully automated robotic rotary milking parlor; with this invention it changes the future for milking. The show features agricultural tours, seminars, top ten products and delicious food sponsored from different locations.

Pete DeGroot, local farmer in the Central Valley, has gone to the expo for more than 30 years. He enjoyed the time spent with family and friends and looks forward to the new technology the show displays for farmers in search of new equipment.

“The expo is a place farmers can go and see a lot of new equipment and technology in one place, which helps us make decisions when looking for new equipment,” DeGroot said. “It’s a long and tiring day, but worth the time. It is also a good time to see and meet new people and say hello to old friends. My family and I have attended for over 30 years. I took my Grandson, Blake, yesterday to educate him on what was going on in the farming and dairy world.”

The expo is a place farmers can go and see a lot of new equipment and technology in one place, which helps us make decisions when looking for new equipment. It’s a long and tiring day, but worth the time. It is also a good time to see and meet new people and say hello to old friends. My family and I have attended for over 30 years. I took my Grandson, Blake, yesterday to educate him on what was going on in the farming and dairy world.–Pete DeGroot

Popular food vendors surround the grounds, supporting local schools or non-profit organizations. Everything from barbecue tri-tip, peach cobbler to nachos are served throughout the walkways of the Expo.

The show also provides high school students scholarship for those majoring in agricultural education. E.M. Tharp and World Ag Expo have paired up to provide the “We Believe in Growing” scholarships for high school students. Two $10,000 scholarships are awarded to those who want to attend a four-year university and who major in agricultural education.

Sophomore Hannah Nale and her family go every year to the show. This year was her first year going and looks forward to attending next year.

“My dad usually takes siblings every year but this was my first year going, which was really fun,” Nale said. “There were lots of booths. I got this lotion from this dairy booth that you put on the utters to make them softer. I saw Joseph Lange. I walked by him and I thought I don’t talk to you at school so I’m not going to talk to you here. If I go again I would probably look at the map beforehand because I got really lost.”

Blake Deffenbacher, ’19, toured the grounds with his grandpa, Pete DeGroot, this year. He took a special interest in the new robotic milking equipment presented.

“There was a lot of farm equipment like tractors, plows and harvesters to look at,” Deffenbacher said. “I saw some milking machines. They were pretty cool. They now have machines that milk the cow automatically so a person doesn’t have to do it. It?s just a robot that makes the work a lot easier. A person doesn’t have to go through and milk the cow.”

These writers can be reached via Twitter: @nhudecek16 or through email [email protected] and @jennypenny8835 or [email protected].

For more news, read the Feb. 6 article, Students chosen for honor choir, perform with community.