The Hay & Forage Expo returns to central Iowa for the 30th annual event. The show is scheduled for June 22 and 23 at the Central Iowa Expo facility located just east of Boone, Iowa. The Central Iowa Expo site is also the host for the 2016 Farm Progress Show which will be held in late August.

The Hay & Forage Expo has always been known as the best place to see the latest hay and forage equipment and an expanded list of programs has been added to the agenda for this year’s show.

2016 Hay

“Farmers who attend the Hay & Forage Expo love the demonstrations and enjoy watching the equipment in action. We wanted to expand on that and offer educational programs as well,” says Matt Jungmann, events manager for Penton Agriculture. “Two of our education programs are hot topics in agriculture, drones and the weather. Producers want to use drones to improve field scouting and we want to help them understand the regulations and restrictions of this type of technology. And weather is always a crucial subject for farmers and they want to learn about weather trends and how they will affect the growing season.”

“Another program we are excited to offer this year is a hay auction,” comments Jungmann. Scheduled for Wednesday only, the hay auction will be conducted by the American Ag Video Auction. 

All presentations will be held at the show site in the Morton Building located at Sixth Street and Central Avenue.

Educational Program and Auction Schedule

11:15 - Weather Outlook for Crops 2016 and Beyond presented by Prof. S. Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University.  A very strong El Nino that reminds us of 1983 and 1988 has folks in the Corn Belt a bit on edge in 2016.  But, the El Nino event of 1998 was a "good" crop event.  Weather records and forecasts are giving us ever-better ways to anticipate how our crops will turn out.

12:15 – The Future of Commercial Drone Operations presented by Philip A. K. Stiles, Esq. The use of drones in the agriculture industry has exploded over the last five years. Now with the FAA catching up on regulating drone use, Stiles will explain current regulations, what you need to know if you are using a drone service or flying your own drone and talk about the future of drone use in the ag industry.

3:00 – Hay Auction – WEDNESDAY ONLY. Conducted by American Ag Video Auction. American Ag Video Auction is an online hay marketing company that streams live, real-time auctions. Auction personnel go to a producer’s farm or ranch, video and test hay, and then market it by utilizing the live real-time video auction platform. American Ag Video Auction is committed to building lasting relationships with their buyers and sellers. They provide an innovative and professional way to market hay, while expanding and creating market opportunities worldwide.

New Products and Equipment

Sponsored by Penton Agriculture's local farm publications, The Farmer, Wisconsin Agriculturist and Wallaces Farmer, the Hay & Forage Expo provides easy access to the new hay and forage technology with an extensive exhibit area and working field demonstrations conducted throughout each show day.

The two-day hay extravaganza showcases mowing, conditioning, baling and hay handling demonstrations on prime alfalfa acres. Visitors have multiple opportunities to compare the most popular equipment brands operating side by side under actual field conditions.

A 10-acre exhibit field highlights displays from the major and shortline specialty manufacturers with a focus on products aimed at boosting the efficiency and profitability of hay and forage productions. The Hay & Forage Expo is a one-stop shopping and learning venue for hay and forage producers. Visitors can examine the latest balers, forage choppers, disk mower conditioners, tedders, rakes, mergers, bale carriers, forage seed and more hay production products.

Make Plans to Attend

The 30th annual Hay & Forage Expo will be held June 22 and 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Central Iowa Expo facility near Boone, Iowa. The site is located west of I-35 on Hwy. 30; the show's website features a map and detailed driving directions. Admission is free; parking is $10 per vehicle. For more information, visit HayExpo.com or call (866) 264-7469. The public is welcome.