Take a Ride Side by Side at 2009 Ag Expo
6/18/09
Contact: Laura Probyn
517-432-1555, ext. 175
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Ag Expo, the Michigan State University (MSU) farm show set for July 21-23, has always provided visitors with the opportunity to see equipment from several manufacturers in one location.
This year, farmers can do more than look. Ride-and-drive demonstrations for tractors, articulating wheel loaders, skid steers and zero-turn mowers will be offered throughout the three-day show.
This is the first year that the show’s organizers have offered a ride-and-drive for larger row-crop tractors. Six manufacturers and dealers will bring in tractors that farmers can compare in side-by-side test drives.
“We’ll have tractors ranging from 135 to 350 horsepower,” says Tim Rogers, Ag Expo demonstration coordinator. “You can come out to the show and try them all in one place, which is a real convenience that saves farmers time and money. Some of the tractors will be equipped with GPS and auto-steer systems, too, so it’s also a great chance to find out more about those technologies, which help farmers be more precise in the fields and, in turn, more profitable.”
It’s the second year that the show will give visitors the chance to try out articulating wheel loaders, and they can expect to find five manufacturers and loaders in two size classes --compact and mid-sized loaders for dairy feeding applications.
Attendees in the market for skid steers can also test the handling and maneuverability of products from five manufacturers.
“Where else can you go in the state and try out several different pieces of machinery in one place?” Rogers asks. “We try hard to ensure that we have similar sizes and types of all machines in every demonstration so you can really compare apples to apples. We do that so if somebody’s in the market to buy, they can really compare side-by-side. Our goal is help attendees make the best purchasing decision for their farm.”
Ag Expo visitors don’t need to be farmers to get in on the ride-and-drive action. As many as eight brands of zero-turn mowers also will be available to test during the show.
“This has been a popular demonstration, and we’ve introduced this product to a lot of people in the years we’ve featured it,” Rogers says. “People realize they can save time and money using a zero-turn, and so they’re excited about talking with manufacturers about those machines.”
Participants in the ride-and-drive demonstrations must be at least 18 years old. All demonstrations are monitored and follow safety standards.
Ag Expo features commercial farm equipment from throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site, as well as educational exhibits from several MSU colleges and departments.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 21 and 22, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 23. Admission to the grounds and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. Because of the construction on Farm Lane, the Ag Expo parking area and grounds will be accessible only from Mt. Hope Road.
For more information about Ag Expo, call 800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu.
Ag Expo is sponsored by the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
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