Daily News Update, Feb. 14, 2008

Texas Farm, Ranch, Wildlife Expo Feb. 19-20 in Abilene

The annual Texas Farm, Ranch, Wildlife Expo is set for Feb. 19-20 on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center, located at 1700 state Highway 36 in Abilene. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 19 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 20.

The event is sponsored by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

The show will feature educational seminars, equipment exhibits, product demonstrations, the Town and Country Women's Fair, the Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association annual meeting, and the Abilene Chamber of Commerce annual membership luncheon. The highlight of the luncheon is the naming of the Taylor County Farm Family of the Year.

Ten Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered during the educational seminars. The women's fair starts at 9 a.m. Feb. 19 in the Modern Living Mall.

The show's agriculture-related educational programs begin at 8 a.m. Feb. 20 in the Western Heritage Ranch House, Big Country Hall and AgriLife Extension Classroom. The Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association annual meeting followed by their membership luncheon starts at 10 a.m. in the Big Country Hall. The afternoon's cotton production program follows at 1 p.m. in the Big Country Hall.

Concurrent programs on Feb. 20 begin at 8 and 8:30 a.m. Included are an 8 a.m. Texas Department of Agriculture re-certification course in the Big Country Hall, a Texas Wildlife Association Membership Meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the AgriLife Extension Classroom and a Wildlife Workshop at 8:30 a.m. in the Western Heritage Ranch House.

The chamber of commerce luncheon will be at noon on Feb. 20 in the Big Country Hall. The keynote speaker will be Marcus Hill with Texas Ag Workers Insurance.

The seminars are free to the public. Tickets for the chamber of commerce luncheon are $15 and are available through the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, 325/677-7241.

For more information contact the AgriLife Extension office in Taylor County at 325/672-6048.