Event manager: Ag expo a success

This year’s Ag Expo attracted 3,700 attendees and 600 vendors, the event’s organizer said.

Event manager Sharon King, Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce executive director, also said most vendors were happy with the turn out and their sales. Several have already reserved space for next year.

“I think it was definitely a success,” King said of the 17th annual expo.

King said planning for next year’s event would start within a few weeks. She expected additions to the dairy barn, which was new this year, to be included.

“The seminars were all very well received,” King continued.

The wind energy presentation was particularly well attended.

Local dairywoman Michelle Heavyside said the expo was fun and the weather was “absolutely beautiful.” She took her 4-year-old daughter, Grace, who enjoyed the antique tractors, longhorn steers and getting goodies from booths.

“She thought it was like trick-or-treating,” Heavyside said.

On the technical side, she said she saw a lot of good things for the dairy, including water conservation methods and waste lagoons.

Heavyside also appreciated the dairy barn and information about the market, even though low milk prices are causing financial strain for dairy farmers. She said seeing friends from as far away as California was refreshing.

“I guess in light of how the market is, it’s something postive,” Heavyside said.