For Further Information Contact: Dale L. Baird dlbaird@illinois.edu
The 2012 Illinois Forage Expo will be held on Tuesday July 10 hosted by Owen Brown, GFC Bale Band-It, 34273 210th Avenue, Pittsfield, Illinois located in Pike County. The Expo will start at 9:00 am and conclude at 3:00 pm.
The Forage Expo will include field demonstrations of forage harvesting equipment and commercial displays of forage related products and equipment. In addition, educational sessions will be presented that focus on forage management. For information concerning exhibiting a commercial display contact Dave Gentry, GROWMARK, Inc., P.O. Box 2500, Bloomington, IL 61702-2500, phone (309) 557-6397 or email at dgentry@growmark.com.
Also, a Quality Hay & Haylage Contest will be available for producers to enter 2012 harvested bales and haylage. Entries in the Quality Hay & Haylage Contest must be delivered on site from 8:30 am to 10 am. There is no entry fee and NIRS analysis will be provided free of charge. Bales weighing over 100 pounds will need an official scale weigh ticket. Four hay and one haylage class will be available and class winners will receive a certificate. For further information concerning the Quality Hay/Haylage Contest, interested producers can contact Ron Atherton, IFGC Board Member at (815) 622-2734, ron.atherton@agriking.com.
The Forage Expo site can be reached by going west and then south of Pittsfield on Route 54 about 5 miles, then east 1 mile on 1100 N Road. Additional information concerning the Illinois Forage Expo is available at http://www.illinoisforage.org/. The Forage Expo is co-sponsored by the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council, University of Illinois Extension and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.