- Farm Progress
Farm Progress is the publisher of 22 agricultural and ranching magazines. The company dates back nearly 200 years to 1819 with American Farmer magazine.
Farm Progress has the oldest known continuously published magazine with Prairie Farmer, which was launched in 1841. The company publishes 18 regional magazines with local coverage of each agricultural community. Annually Farm Progress produces four farm shows including Farm Progress Show, which launched in 1953. [ [http://www.farmprogress.com/ME2/dirsect.asp?sid=50A4695952D64EFB886435FE1F323AFA&nm=Farm+Shows Show Locations] ]
Farm Progress Show
In 1953, Prairie Farmer teamed with WLS Radio in Chicago to host a field day where farmers could see first hand the progress being made in farming equipment, along with seed varieties and ag chemicals.
In subsequent years, the show evolved to include seed test plots and field demonstrations. The show typically was held annually at different sites in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. As the event grew, it became apparent that temporary sites were inadequate to handle the large crowds and exhibits.
In 2005, a permanent exhibit site was constructed near
Decatur, Illinois which hosted the 2005 show as well as the 2007 show. The Decatur site is one of two permanent biennial sites constructed to host the show. The 2008 show will be hosted at a newly constructed permanent biennial site nearBoone, Iowa . The show will alternate between these two permanent sites on an annual basis.The Boone site is developed on about convert|600|acre|km2|1 at the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and Iowa Highway 17, while the Decatur show site includes convert|640|acre|km2|1 of exhibits and field demonstrations.
The Farm Progress Show is the oldest and largest outdoor agricultural equipment exhibition in the United States with over 500 exhibitors. Farm Progress Companies does not release attendance figures, but the the Decatur Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates attendance of at least 150,000 for the three days of the 2007 show.
History
In 1959 ABC Broadcasting/Paramount Theaters bought the Farm Progress Group - Prairie Farmer, Wallaces Farmer and the Wisconsin Agriculturist.
In 1986 ABC merged with Capital Cities and in 1996 the Disney Company purchased Capital Cities/ABC. In 1997, the Disney Company sold the Farm Progress Companies to Rural Press. [ [http://www.wallacesfarmer.com/index.aspx?mid=45533&mtype=1&qfguid=f6d93563-3a06-4410-85f6-4dc7d3e5e171 History of Wallaces Farmer] ]
Farm Progress Companies is owned by Rural Press Limited, an
Australian media company based in New South Wales.External links
* http://www.farmprogress.com
* http://www.farmprogressshow.comReferences
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