North America’s Premier Farm Show,the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, opens Tuesday in Moultrie, unveiling more than 4,000 product lines from 1,200 exhibitors, another sell-out of space for the three-day Expo. Officials report 198 new exhibitors as companies showcase the latest in farming technology, research and equipment.

“We truly have something for all sectors of agriculture to see, experience and gather information to make life better on the farm,” states Chip Blalock, executive director of the expo. “What sets the Sunbelt apart is our 600-acre working research farm where manufacturers can demonstrate the latest and greatest technological advancements. But, this show has something for every member of the family.”

“You need to take time to join the fun and fellowship and leave with a renewed sense of community and confidence in our future as the agricultural leader of the world.”

Mississippi is the 2015 Spotlight State, promoting the theme, “Sweeter in Mississippi”. Mississippi products on display will include new apparel from Mississippi cotton, fried catfish, honey candy, famous Edam cheese, sweet potato cake bites, soy nut cookies, and shrimp.

On Tuesday, the Swisher Sweets Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year will be announced, selected from the 10 Southeastern farming states. The show will welcome 10 new families to the Farmer of the Year Family.

New this year is the Hoss Tools Sustainable Living Center with emphasis on everything backyard, from growing fruits, vegetables and flowers, even the bees that increase production. Seminars will be provided by Greg Key, owner of Hoss Tools; Foresst Pritchard, author of Gaining Ground; Corey Mosser, Natural Born Tillers; and Fred Rossman, owner of Rossman Apiaries.

New to the field demos is the Compact Tractor driving range (20-40 horsepower) plus the Utility Tractor driving range (40 plus horsepower). Attendees can also drive their future farm truck on a field test track operated by Chevy/GMC, Ram Commercial and Ford. Additional driving tracks will be located within the exhibits, and these will feature ATV’s from Honda and Yamaha.

The horse demos have been revamped this year with more educational and training events. Brian Sumrall of Liberty, Texas, representing the American Stock Horse Association and the Stock Horse of Texas organization, will be teaching basic horse handling and how to compete in horse shows. The Sunbelt Rodeo Queens and her court will be center arena.

A farmer favorite is the field demonstrations. Blalock says the research farm team has worked hard to have the 600 acres of crops ready at show time. Farmers like to witness harvesting demonstrations with machines side by side harvesting cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans and hay.

Marketing Director Gina McDonald says, “The best way to plan your trip to the Sunbelt is to download the Sunbelt Ag Expo 2015 App. Lots of questions can be answered by studying the mobile App.” McDonald says a new feature this year is ‘online ticketing’, allowing guests to order, pay, and print tickets ahead of time.

Show hours are 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursday. Admission price is $10 per person per day. Children under 10 are admitted free with a parent. A multi-day admission ticket is $20. Credit cards and personal checks will not be accepted at the ticket booths during show days.

The Expo offers sites for camping and for parking recreational vehicles. For information on camping facilities, contact the City of Moultrie by phone at 229-890-5425. Check the Expo Web site: www.sunbeltexpo.com, like us on Facebook and Twitter, contact the Expo by e-mail at [email protected], or call 229-985-1968.