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Jefferson Fairgrounds, Clark Counry Get Farm Tech Nods
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 12/10/2018

The locations of the 2021 and 2022 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days have been announced. On Friday, the show's board of directors decided to host the first-ever non-county sponsored event at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in 2021, with Clark County chosen to host a traditional show the following year in 2022.

WFTD General Manager Matt Glewen told Wisconsin Ag Connection that the board considered both the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and the Iola Old Car Show grounds for its 2021 venue.

"Both the Iola Old Car Show and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds had a lot to offer in terms of hosting the show, but ultimately the board felt the Jefferson site would offer the best accommodations in terms of facilities and accessibility," Glewen said. "That's not to say that we won't consider Iola down the road--especially if we do more non-county sponsored shows in the future."

Glewen says it's been getting more difficult to find counties that have enough volunteer manpower to run the annual event. But that doesn't mean the board is ready to end its six-decade tradition of moving the show around the state and going to a permanent site.

"Moving the show around is one of the things that make Farm Technology Days unique," he said. "We hope more counties come forward in the coming years so we can continue to do that."

In order to run a non-county sponsored exhibition, Glewen said the board will need to hire between 8 to 10 people to organize logistics, such as field demonstrations, food, parking, and laying out Tent City.

Meanwhile, the group also accepted Clark County's application to bring the show back to central Wisconsin in 2022. Coordinator Chuck Rueth says there were several factors that prompted the county to apply.

"First of all, it's been 13 years since we last hosted Farm Tech Days in the state's leading dairy county," Rueth told Wisconsin Ag Connection. In addition, we want to be considered as a possible option if the state were to consider going to a permanent site in the future. This is our way to show them we can handle the task should the opportunity present itself."

Clark County previously held the show in 2005 near Loyal, where Rueth served as the show's executive chairman. It also hosted Farm Progress Days in Owen in 1983.

Next year, the state's largest outdoor farm show will be held near Johnson Creek at Walter Grain Farms on July 23-25, 2019 in Jefferson County. Eau Claire County will host on July 21-23, 2020 at Huntsinger Farms near Eau Claire.


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