MOULTRIE, Ga. — After a Covid caused missed year, the Sunbelt Ag Expo again opened its gates to eager visitors this year. 

This 43rd edition found thousands of farmers and their families taking a much needed break from their usual routine to see the latest in equipment, products and services. A field full of yellow school buses evidenced the field trip attendance by thousands of students from at least three states. Under what Chip Blalock, Executive Director, called “Chamber of Commerce weather”, exhibitors and attendees alike were excited to be back. 

Among the unique highlights are the Spotlight State, a revolving featured state among the ten focus states of the Expo. This year Virginia was featured.

Another feature of this show is the recognition of the ten southeastern state’s Farmers of the Year (FOY). These individuals were to be honored in 2020 but were held over due to the cancellation of the 2020 Expo. They are identified as FOY’s 2020-2021. The overall winner was South Carolina’s Robert “Bob” Martin Hall. 

Jay Yeargin, Tennessee’s FOY, had already decided to farm before he even graduated high school. Upon graduation, utilizing a USDA Beginning Farmer loan, he bought his first farm of 60 acres. Today Yeargin operates a 2,700 acre multi-faceted agricultural business. Included are row crops, forage and calf production. His owned facilities include grain storage and trucks to provide marketing flexibility. Yeargin Farms also operates a variety of services to other farmers and local businesses.

Kentucky’s Stephen J. Kelley started farming even earlier working in burley tobacco while still in middle school. “My love of the land had been instilled early on and farming became my goal,” he said. Eventually armed with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in agriculture along with a vocational agricultural teaching certificate, Kelley personally farms half of the Kelley Farms’ 2,500 acres. 

Perhaps understated is the educational role of the Expo. In addition to over 300 seminars and demonstrations is an almost invisible group of young college students pursuing a degree and career in agricultural communications. Nearby Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), part of Georgia’s state university system, not only offers a degree in agricultural communications, but also requires an intern experience to graduate. ABAC and the Sunbelt Expo have partnered to provide that required intern opportunity. 

This year six interns researched, created and published press releases and the ninety-two page show guide. These interns worked with sponsors, exhibitors, demonstrators and the press to communicate the show’s activities and value to attendees. 

The 2022 Expo will be held Oct. 18-20.