Farm show starts Wednesday at NIU

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Farmers looking to learn what is new in the agricultural industry will have a chance this week to find out.

The 27th annual North­­ern Il­li­nois Farm Show will be held Wednesday and Thursday at the Convocation Center at Northern Illinois University. There will be 270 exhibits and 7,000 producers at this year’s show, according to event organizers.

Deni Billmeyer, marketing manager for the show, said there will be a variety of things for attendees to attend.

Panel discussions and educational seminars are planned, as well as exhibitions and discussions on the 2008 federal farm bill.

Among the topics that will be discussed at various forums are farmland leasing practices, wind energy in Illinois and commodities, Billmeyer said.

“It’s to get exhibitors, dealers and manufacturers together with agricultural people there,” he said. “It allows the farmer to come in for a day or two, and they can create relationships with their local dealers. They can get names and numbers or find out more about insurance programs or finance.”

DeKalb County Farm Bureau manger Greg Millburg said the local organization assists with the educational breakout sessions by helping to find programs that are of interest to farmers.

“It’s things farmers are interested in during the winter months as they are planning for the planting season,” Millburg said. “It’s a great opportunity to see firsthand some of the technologies that are being presented. You see a lot of different clients and customers they serve.”

The farm bureau, NAPA Auto Parts, WLBK radio and WREX-TV sponsor the annual show. Both Millburg and Billmeyer said the show is held in DeKalb because of its location.

“The appeal is being here in the northern part of the state,” Millburg said. “It’s a prime agricultural area.”

The show also offers private pesticide applicator license testing offered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Those who use pesticides need to be recertified every three years, Billmeyer said.

“It’s like taking your driver’s test over again,” he said. “Anyone who wants to use pesticide has to have this.”

Northern Illinois Farm Show

When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday

Where: Convocation Center at Northern Illinois University

Cost: Admission is free. Parking is $3 per vehicle

On the Net: www.farmshows.com; click on the tab for Northern Illinois