Looking ahead to another great Expo!

Patty Colson, 2012 Chairman -  The 1,500 volunteers, staff and I hope you had a great week here at World Ag Expo. We are grateful for all the hard work you have done preparing your exhibits for the many attendees we saw this week. We had many outstanding activities this week, including some exciting new additions to the expo for the whole family. A very special welcome to our new beef exhibitors.

We began the week with our new Concerts for a Cause Series, with Blake Shelton, after the Expo on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday evening, David Nail. We also welcomed many FFA groups on Wednesday morning. Our World Ag Women entertained those who were interested in cooking demonstrations with speakers from the community and a fashion show. There were also over 60 seminars held in the Seminar Center.

The grounds and spaces were packed with exhibitors displaying the newest equipment from all over the world. It was great to see new exhibitors this year joining us for their first time.

I hope you all had the opportunity to visit our New Products Pavilion, to see the Top-10 new product winners and Forage Challenge display. Wine and Cheese was available next door in the Wine and Cheese Pavilion for our exhibitors to treat their customers to a glass of wine and cheese along with some fine finger appetizers.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you again next year for our Big 45th year. There are many exhibitors who have been with us from the very beginning, and many others who have joined in over the years. Together, you have all helped our show become one of the biggest and best in the world of agriculture.

Please keep watch on our website, worldagexpo.com, for news about World Ag Expo 2012. I hope to be seeing all of you again in 2012 as we celebrate 45 years of excellence in Growing World Agriculture.