FARM TECH DAYS UPDATE
Thursday, March 3rd, 2005 -- 12:37 PM
Farm Technology Days is just a few months away. This morning on Viewpoint, Chuck Rueth and Matt Jorgensen of the FTD Executive Committee joined us.Up to 40-thousand people are expected to attend the show July 12th ? 14th at the Malm Farm north of Loyal pumping up to $10-million into the local economy.
Rueth says they received some good news this week: Tent City, the main focal point of the show, is already almost completely reserved with exhibitors.
"85-percent of our lots are already booked for our Farm Technology Days," Rueth said.
Tent City is home to hundreds of exhibitors and Jorgensen says it's why people drive hundreds of miles to see the show.
"It's the most visible sign that something big is happening in your county," Jorgensen said, "We have basically everything a small city has under tent. It's a 40-acre space, so it's not small. It's quite and event."
And when you talk about moving tens-of-thousands of people to and from a farm located on gravel road, transportation will be a concern.
The Malm Farm is located 4-miles due north of Loyal on 153 Road.
"With that comes the question 'how am I going to get in and how am I going to get out?'. The biggest change people will notice is that on Highway 73 and Highway 'K', we're going to have 45 mph speed zones," Jorgensen said.
They've budgeted for calcium chloride for dust control. People living or doing business in the area will have to adjust to increased traffic flow for up to 2-3 weeks before and after the show.
One note: They?ll be joining us every first Thursday of the month until FTD is held.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.