Show designed to help make farming, ranching operations more profitable
ROBSTOWN — The 2013 Texas AgXchange Farm and Ranch Show, conducted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, will be held Oct. 2 and 3 at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, 1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd., just east of State Highway 77 in Robstown.
The show’s director, Greg Geisler, said Lower Rio Grande Valley farmers and ranchers have been an important part of the event from its inception.
“When we made the decision to launch the Texas AgXchange last year, row crops farmers in the Valley were a critical part of our target market,” he said. “For our inaugural year, we had over two dozen producers from both Willacy and Hidalgo counties in attendance, and this year we have put extra efforts into attracting even more growers from the Valley.”
Live field demonstrations and the size of the event – with nearly 200 exhibits – provide Valley growers a good opportunity to see all the new technology available to help make their operations more profitable, he said.
There is no admission fee for the show, annual AgriLife conference or field demonstrations, according to Monty Dozier, AgriLife Extension regional program leader for agriculture and natural resources, Bryan.
“We enjoy our relationship with the Texas AgXchange,” he said. “Farmers like that we host our conference with a large farm and ranch show as it provides them with more to do, all at one location. They can see the new technology not only on display, but working in the field demos as well.”
The show will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m both days and will be considerably larger than last year’s show, Geisler said.
“We’ll have almost 200 exhibitors this year, nearly double the number we had at our very successful show last year.”
Topics at the AgriLife Extension educational conference on Oct. 3 will include integrated management techniques for handling and treating cattle parasites and rangeland brush, improving reproductive efficiency in the beef herd, pesticide laws and regulations, and potential impacts to ground and surface water quality associated with pesticide movement.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units, one in laws and regulations, one in integrated pest management and one general, will be available at no cost.
For more information go to the show website at www.TexasAgXchange.com or call Geisler at 952-736-9360.