LONDON, Ohio -- After last year's damaging winds from Hurricane Ike, a little rainy weather and clouds weren't keeping visitors away from the 47th annual Ohio State University Farm Science Review. The farm show drew 138,014 folks over the three-day event, nearly 10 percent higher than attendance in 2008.
"The show ran very smoothly and it appeared everyone was enjoying themselves," said Farm Science Review manager Chuck Gamble. "All of the exhibitors I made contact with during the show were very pleased with the crowds, the grounds and the contacts they were making."
Show organizers were keeping their fingers crossed that the positive outlook in agriculture, despite the downturn in the economy, would carry over to Farm Science Review. It did.
"Farmers came to the show to buy big-ticket items, and there was a lot of interest generated in smaller items and equipment and accessories from across the different agricultural sectors," said Gamble. "Farmers who were waiting throughout the year to make purchases were buying at Farm Science Review."
Crowds jammed the exhibitor area to view and buy products from over 600 exhibitors from across the country, as well as learn more about Ohio State University and Purdue University Extension education and research projects.
A highlight of the show was the Trotter field demonstrations, which showcased the latest in agricultural equipment and technology performing under various aspects of agricultural production.
"The field demos are such a unique aspect of Farm Science Review. Despite the weather conditions, we were able to pull off the field demos during the show," said Gamble. "From a farmer standpoint, the weather conditions hampered the field operations, but provided the opportunity to get out here and see what the show has to offer."
Next year's Farm Science Review will be held Sept. 21-23 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio. Look for the familiar and something new at http://fsr.osu.edu as updates develop throughout the coming year. Some potential new updates visitors can look forward to include infrastructure upgrades and a mini shuttle service from the parking lots to the exhibitor gates.
Farm Science Review is sponsored by Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. It attracts visitors from all over the country and Canada, who come for three days to peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors, and learn the latest in agricultural research, conservation, natural resources, turfgrass, family, nutrition, gardening and landscape.