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BOONE, Iowa — The Farm Progress show returns to Iowa after an absence of four years. The show alternates between Iowa and Illinois each year. In the year 2020 there was a pandemic, which forced the show to not be held.

“Here’s a little fun fact for you the first Farm progress show was held in Iowa was in 1959, and we’ve never missed four years,” Don Tourte, Farm Progress Show staff. “This is the longest gap we’ve ever had without having a full-fledged show here in Iowa and we are thrilled to be back what a show it’s going to be, we want to show you a lot about that today.”

The concept of the Farm Progress Show is to work with local land owners to plant crops, which can be harvested during the show that can show a side by side comparison to different harvest equipment.

“Our host farmers, they make their land available to us so we can have field demonstration,” said  Matt Jungman, Farm Progress Show Manager.  “This year the corn’s gonna be a little wet we’re going start opening fields up Thursday and Friday this week.”

“It’s pretty exciting every other year we have to modify what crops we plant,” said Dick Isaacson, who hosts the show on his farm. “We put on a shorter season corn so they can harvest during the Farm Progress Show.”

This year’s show will also feature a free concert with Lee Brice.

“Wednesday night at the farm progress show we will have a Lee Brice concert, he’s had a partnership with case I-H,” said Jungman. “We had a similar concert last year and it was just fantastic, it was a wonderful way to close the biggest day of the show.”

People coming just for the concert are advised to get there a little early as traffic in late afternoon can be heavy around the show grounds.

The Farm Progress Preview tour also included a look at the 42,550 square foot Varied Industries Tent that provides an acre of displays under it.

The show even worked with the Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa State University to create a special new asphalt used to pave under the tent. It’s made from soybean oil and recycled asphalt.

“Soy’s incorporation in asphalt enhances the products durability, and longevity,” said Robb Ewoldt, Iowa Soybean Association President.

The project is still being researches and they hope to commercialize this one day to create another market for Iowa soybeans.