PEORIA, Ill. — The recent expansion of the Peoria Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall has allowed for continued growth of the Greater Peoria Farm Show, which will feature more than 300 companies displaying over 1,000 product lines in more than 950 booths.

It will use the entire Peoria Civic Center complex, according to Ron Bormaster, Midwest Shows/Farm Shows USA show manager. “The expanded space allows us to dramatically expand the scope of the show and offer the most complete display of products used in Illinois production agriculture,” said Bormaster.

“Efficiency is the focus of exhibitors, which include manufacturers’ reps, distributors, jobbers and dealers from the United States and Canada. Important new product developments will be on display from major power equipment manufacturers. Come see how their latest innovations will increase your efficiency.”

Those attending the show will experience hands-on the newest innovations in agriculture, from large implements to farm business management software, Bormaster said.

But what specific products and services will Midwest farmers attending the show – known as the largest indoor post-harvest farm show in the Midwest – seek this year? 

“What will farmers be looking at during the farm show? Technology,” said Patrick Kirchhofer, manager of the Peoria County Farm Bureau (PCFB), who welcomes visitors to the Greater Peoria Farm Show on behalf of the PCFB.

“Technology in farm equipment seems to be changing at a rapid pace. With today’s equipment, farmers have to be tech-savvy in understanding and calculating GPS units for tractor, combine and spray units. As prices for equipment, fertilizer and seed escalate, precision farming is being adopted by more farmers to get the most out of their input costs.”

Fluctuating seed and herbicide costs are of great concern to Illinois farmers who may attend the show to get an early jump on next year’s technology, Kirchhofer added.

“New seed and herbicide programs are on the market every year. Farmers have to prepare to change their herbicide program as an increasing number of weeds are becoming tolerant of Roundup Ready technology, which has made it very easy to control weeds for the last 15 years. There are different modes of action to control weeds, and the method used looks like it will become more complicated,” Kirchhofer said.

The timeliness of the Greater Peoria Farm Show has always been a major drawing card for the exhibition, which provides valuable information for Midwest producers in all areas of farming from marketing strategy to equipment acquisition, according to Bormaster.

“As the first major farm show held after harvest, both exhibitors and farmers alike attend the show to make plans for the coming year,” he said. “The Peoria Farm Show has earned a reputation as one of the finest indoor shows in the United States, and is the largest indoor farm show in the state of Illinois.”

Many out-of-town attendees make the annual trek to the River City not only to catch up on the latest agricultural products and services, but also to reconnect with fellow farmers and compare notes on their harvest successes and failures. Kirchhofer summarized how the sporadic Illinois harvest of 2011 fared in Peoria County:

“We had some surprising numbers during harvest in the Peoria area. Most farmers seemed to be pleased with the results,” he reported. “In most cases, yields for corn were at least average and in some fields, above average. The soybeans seemed to run above average throughout the area, with some fields well above average, reaching 70-plus bushels per acre.

“Through the Peoria area, we were fortunate to be able to be on the south edge of some August rainstorms passing through Illinois. Those rains gave a big boost to the size of soybeans, which translated to higher yields.”

Farmers in other parts of Illinois did not fare as well as most of Peoria County during the 2011 harvest, and will likely turn out en masse seeking answers to managing extreme weather conditions, tillage practices, insects and crop diseases. Though Illinois continues to lead the nation in soybean production and ranks among the top corn-producing states, farmers are always in search of ways to increase production and efficiency.

The latest products geared to those solutions will be on display at the Peoria Civic Center from Nov. 29-Dec. 2. Show hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; admission is free. For further information, visit www.farmshow.usa.com