In the year 2020, farmers will be focused on finding ways to succeed in the year ahead and in many ways the Southern Farm Show is designed to help them achieve '20/20' vision as they work to produce bountiful crops and healthy livestock.

The Southern Farm Show is set for Wednesday, Feb. 5 through Friday, Feb. 7 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Admission and parking are free. With more than 400 exhibiting companies, the Southern Farm Show is the largest agricultural exposition in the Carolinas and Virginia. More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the three-day show.

 “Farmers tell me that if they learn just one new thing or gain one new insight, then they consider a trip the Southern Farm Show a success. They say they look forward to the show each year because they know they will  re-connect with friends and experts in agriculture to successfully plan for the crop year ahead,” says Show Manager David Zimmerman.

The Southern Farm Show has always been on the cutting edge of agriculture innovation, where new ideas and new equipment have made their debut. In 2020, there is tremendous interest in industrial hemp, and this  year’s Southern Farm Show has more exhibitors involved in industrial hemp than ever before with at least eight companies participating that serve hemp farmers across the Southeast.

“No matter what crops you grow, the Southern Farm Show is designed to give you the answers you need to succeed. Forestry, land work and construction are also an important focus of the show and there are plenty exhibits for livestock producers,”  Zimmerman says.

The 2020 show kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 a.m. with the Wake County Agribusiness Breakfast at the James Hunt Horse Complex restaurant. Keynote speaker will be Mitch Peele, senior director of public policy at the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, who will discuss the obstacles and opportunities facing agriculture in the year ahead.

A highlight of the 2020 show will be the Ag Development Forum set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Holshouser Building. This year’s forum will focus on North Carolina’s rapidly growing population and  the impact on agriculture and farmland preservation efforts in the state. In addition, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will give his annual State of North Carolina Agriculture address and North Carolina State University economists Mike Walden and Blake Brown will give the 2020 economic  and ag economic outlook.

Breakfast with the Commissioner is set for Friday, Feb. 7 at 8 a.m. at the Holshouser Building. The breakfast will benefit the Tobacco Farm Life Museum,  and  Commissioner Troxler will present  the Excellence in Agriculture Award to Alice Scott. Scott is being recognized for her commitment to her family land in Wilson County and the modern business-oriented approach she uses to make Scott Farms thrive.

In addition, the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina will hold its annual meeting at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7 at the Holshouser Building. The meeting will feature an economic outlook and will focus on trade and policy issues impacting tobacco farmers.

The South Atlantic Woodsmen's Association returns to the show for the fourth year with their lumberjack, chainsaw and woodsmen demonstrations. Their three daily appearances will again be sponsored by Stihl, which will also be at the show with their selection of forestry products.

Brothers ‘n’ Bluegrass also returns to the Southern Farm Show with performances at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. each day in the Auction Arena at the front of the Jim Graham Building. In addition to bluegrass music, Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina will provide the latest information on agricultural financing.

The show concludes with the highly popular Southern/National Draft Horse Pull beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb 7 at the Hunt Horse Arena. As the grand finale for the Southern Farm show, spectators will gather to watch teams of giant draft horses compete for prize money.

For more information, contact Southern Farm Show at (800) 849-0248 or visit the show website at http://SouthernFarmShow.com.