Tulare, CA – The 2020 World Ag Expo® season was kicked-off in style with a beef and pork deep pit dinner on Saturday, September 21. It was also the first chance for 2020 Show Chairman Jim Parsley to address his Orange Jacket “Army”. Parsley shared new features for the show and spoke to the old days of the show, which got the crowd laughing and reminiscing.
A show volunteer for more than 30 years, Parsley was chosen to lead the 1,400 volunteers who have staffed World Ag Expo® since its inception in 1968.
“I’m so excited to be the 2020 show chairman,” Parsley shared. “I’m an officer at the local Elks Lodge, served as the President of American Little League, and an officer for the Cabrillo Club, but this one takes the cake. Having a chance to visit ag shows in different parts of the country and work with staff and volunteers on every inch of the show is an eye opener. Our community really pulls out all the stops to make this event happen. My favorite piece is that 35 local charities work as our show food vendors. That’s a lot of funds that stay in this community long after the show is over!”
The 2020 show theme, “Focusing on Ag”, was chosen by Parsley to reinforce the show’s purpose and as a play on the year he is chairman. “Being the show chairman in the year 2020 naturally lends itself to talking about our vision and a focus on what we do, and who we do it for.”
“World Ag Expo® is always a chance for farmers, ranchers, and ag business people to come to the show and spend time focused on new technology, solutions for their operations, and developing new relationships,” continued Parsley. “The show poster plays on this idea. The world outside of the three show days is busy, sometimes out of focus – basically can be a lot of confusing noise. But when you come to our show grounds, we are purely focusing on ag and helping everyone find ways to work smarter and do better.”
The annual show is produced by the International Agri-Center®, a non-profit focused on agriculture education year-round.
“World Ag Expo kicks off the growing season for the world, so it’s the perfect time to get everyone focused on ag and finding the best options for their crops,” said Jerry Sinift, International Agri-Center® CEO. “We have seminars provided by Fresno State, the Center for International Trade, financial advisors, policy experts – they are all focused on ag. And of course, our exhibitors all offer top-notch products or services for any ag-related business.”
Entering its 53rd year, World Ag Expo® is the largest annual outdoor ag trade show in the world. In 2019, the show saw 102,800 attendees from 48 states and 65 countries. With more than 1,400 exhibitors and 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, World Ag Expo® provides a platform for networking, education, and business in one of the most productive ag counties in the United States.
Tickets are on sale online now, and attendees can plan their visit at www.worldagexpo.org. With a diverse lineup of agriculture companies and seminars covering international trade, irrigation, ag policy, hemp, and more, there is something for every ag professional at the 2020 World Ag Expo®. The 53rd edition will run Tuesday, February 11 through Thursday, February 13, 2020 at the International Agri-Center® in Tulare, CA.
For more information, visit www.worldagexpo.org.
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The International Agri-Center® is home to World Ag Expo®, February 11-13, 2020 in Tulare, California. An estimated annual average of 102,000 individuals from 65 countries attend World Ag Expo® each year. The largest annual agricultural show of its kind, World Ag Expo® hosts more than 1,400 exhibitors displaying cutting-edge agricultural technology and equipment on 2.6 million square feet of show space.