Sunbelt Expo 2022: 'The future is now'

Kasmira Smith, The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
·4 min read

Oct. 11—MOULTRIE — The SunBelt Ag Expo will return next week for its second consecutive farm show after the unfortunate 2020 cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We started back last year and had a really good show. We're just excited to be having the show again this October, and [we're] welcoming all of our friends from across the Southeast, in the nation [and] in the world to come see us," Executive Director Chip Blalock said.

Although COVID-19 is persistent, Sunbelt Ag representatives are learning to manage it and move forward.

The Expo started in 1978 and now bills itself as "North America's Premier Farm Show." The Sunbelt Ag Expo's research farm operates 365 days a year and is geared towards row crop agriculture for cotton, peanuts, corn, grain sorghum and bermuda grass for hay.

Blalock said, "Our main mission is to provide an environment for our exhibitors to come show the latest agricultural technology, [and] for the farmers to come in and learn about [and] see what will fit on their operation and ultimately purchase that technology."

This year's featured technology includes electric tractors from Solectrac and a mobile drone from Ryse Aerotech Technologies.

Although the electric tractors are not groundbreaking technology, Blalock says some of their features are new.

"The electric tractor isn't really a new thing, but [what] is new [is] that they're making up to 70 horsepower tractors that run off of electricity, have zero emissions and... they're quiet," Blalock explained.

He continued, "I think you might start seeing the electric tractor on some of our smaller farms first, but really, the largest one they make is a 70 horsepower, which is still a relatively small tractor."

When asked about this year's farm show theme, Blalock said, "The future is now."

"We're really looking forward to this year because we have an idea of what the future holds,"

The Sunbelt Ag Expo is not only a must-attend event for farmers or agriculture lovers but also students.

"Students can visit with exhibitors, and our older students can use [the] Expo as a job fair or a college recruitment tool," Blalock said.

}Upcoming college students can network with recruiters from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Fort Valley State University, University of Georgia, Clemson University and Auburn University at the show.

According to a press release, students can participate in contests and challenges in three different Youth Educational Opportunities offered during the show.

The Advocacy in Action Contest is a team event challenge sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau for high school and college students.

Blalock said the students submit a video advocating for agriculture on an assigned topic before the Expo.

The finalists will be invited to the Expo and conduct an impromptu video while working with policymakers in the industry to enhance their communication skills.

Middle and high school students can individually compete in the Ag Mechanics Contest sponsored by Farm Credit.

The contest allows students to create and submit intricate and technical masterpieces that are judged and displayed during the Expo for the public to see.

The Youth Educational Challenges sponsored by Country Financial, Agri-Supply Company and Coca-Cola is for middle and high school students. These individual contests test student knowledge in five areas: Ag Business, Ag Mechanics, Animal Science, Forestry & ENR and Plant Science.

Each year, the Sunbelt Ag representatives give the 10 Southeastern states that participate in the Farmer of the Year program a chance to showcase their agriculture. The 2022 Spotlight State is Arkansas.

The 2022 Farmer of the Year state winners are:

—Chris Sweat, Arkansas

—Mark Byrd, Alabama.

—Jerry Dakin, Florida

—Scotty Raines, Georgia.

—Wesley C. Parker,

Kentucky.

—Michael L. Wagner,

Mississippi.

—Kevin Matthews,

North Carolina.

Keith Allen, South

Carolina.

—John Harrison,

Tennessee.

—Robert E. Saunders,

Virginia.

The Swisher/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year will be chosen from among them at a luncheon on the first day of Expo.

The 2022 Sunbelt Ag Expo is open Tuesday through Thursday, Oct. 18 — Oct. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and open until 4 p.m. Thursday.

Potential guests can purchase advance tickets at www.sunbeltexpo.com and tickets will be available at the gate.