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Slideshow: Early morning fog gave way to a beautiful Tuesday at the 2017 Farm Progress Show, complete with harvest and tillage demonstrations.

Holly Spangler, Senior Editor, Prairie Farmer

August 30, 2017

21 Slides

After the early-morning fog burned off, the opening day of the 2017 Farm Progress Show was nothing but blue skies and fluffy clouds, with a high of 80 degrees – a welcome reprieve for anyone expecting the hot temperatures more typical for August in Decatur.  

A storm moved through the area late Monday afternoon, bringing lightning that caused show organizers to clear the site. Show staff and exhibitors worked hard to make up for lost time, and opened with pristine exhibits Tuesday morning.

“Despite the challenges that a storm on Monday evening caused - and that a thick blanket of fog brought on Tuesday morning - Day 1 of the Farm Progress Show was a success. I can’t wait to see where it can go from here!” said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress director of trade shows.

Less rainfall on the north end of the site meant field demonstrations were a go, and combines of every color harvested corn in the morning. Tillage equipment moved through in the afternoon, flanked by crowds of farmers. And while exhibitor parking was a little muddy, extensive drainage tile throughout visitor parking lots left them solid and able to handle traffic.

As is often the case, visitors could walk through the 90-acre show site and hear languages from around the world, as visitors from more than 40 countries flocked to the Farm Progress Show.

And there was plenty of new equipment and technology on hand to check out. That combined with the latest in crop protection and seed products and visitors carried home plenty of new information to ponder for their operations.

And for the rest of the show? “Full speed ahead,” Jungmann says. “All systems are go.”

So check out the images, and enjoy the first day of the 2017 Farm Progress Show.

About the Author(s)

Holly Spangler

Senior Editor, Prairie Farmer, Farm Progress

Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for more than two decades, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazine’s coverage. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and Executive Editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six magazines throughout the eastern Corn Belt. She began her career with Prairie Farmer just before graduating from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications.

An award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. In 2015, she became only the 10th U.S. agricultural journalist to earn the Writer of Merit designation and is a five-time winner of the top writing award for editorial opinion in U.S. agriculture. She was named an AAEA Master Writer in 2005. In 2011, Holly was one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award. She currently serves on the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, the U of I Agricultural Communications Advisory committee, and is an advisory board member for the U of I College of ACES Research Station at Monmouth. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Council on Agricultural Education and MidAmerica Croplife Association.

Holly and her husband, John, farm in western Illinois where they raise corn, soybeans and beef cattle on 2,500 acres. Their operation includes 125 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation. The family farm includes John’s parents and their three children.

Holly frequently speaks to a variety of groups and organizations, sharing the heart, soul and science of agriculture. She and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations. They serve with their local 4-H and FFA programs, their school district, and are active in their church's youth and music ministries.

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