This Aug. 3 – 5, Empire Farm Days is back at a new/old location in Pompey, NY (near Syracuse). Bruce Button, general manager and vice president of Lee Newspapers and Trade Shows, presented this history of the summer celebration:

“The Empire State Potato Growers held their first agricultural show in 1931. Over the years, the event became Empire Farm Days. The event is the largest outdoor agricultural trade show in the Northeastern U.S., showcasing all the latest tractors, farm implements and dairy industry innovations alongside working demonstrations, live animal seminars and more than 600 exhibits loaded with the latest agricultural information for successful farming.”

Skid Steer Rodeos

Make sure to check out the Celebrity Skid Steer Rodeo Challenge. Dan Palladino, owner of Palladino Farms and Heritage Hill Brewery (the host of this year’s EFD), will take on local politicians, TV and radio personalities and local business owners in a head-to-head match, running our preset course on the skid steer of their choice. The winner gets bragging rights and a trophy.

The attendees’ Skid Steer Rodeo will be taking place Wednesday, Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Show attendees can sign up at the site of the rodeo, and luck of the draw chooses the machine they drive. Only experienced operators will be allowed to participate due to safety reasons.

Prize money will be awarded for the fastest clean time (meaning no penalties). The decision of the judge on penalties and time is final. Each equipment supplier is offering $100 cash or prizes for the fastest time on their machine.

For more information on the skid steer rodeos, contact Ken Maring at 800.218.5586 or kmaring@leepub.com.

High Bacteria Count Seminar

Anja Sipka, DVM, Ph.D., of the Cornell Center for Immunology will be leading a seminar on Wednesday, Aug. 4 from 3 – 4 p.m. The topic of the educational part will be troubleshooting high bacteria counts.

During the seminar, the Empire State Milk Quality Council will also be recognizing their Super Producer. The ESMQC began as the Empire State Mastitis Council in the mid-1970s, with the goal of reducing the incidence of mastitis and improving the quality of the milk produced at New York dairies. In the 1990s, the group changed its name but its goals remained the same: To focus the attention of producers and handlers on the importance of udder health and milk quality. One of the ways they achieve those goals is through the Super Milk program. Begun in 1990, the program recognizes producers that achieve quality standards (keeping their SCC below 250,000) and operate exemplary farmsteads. Past recipients are listed at supermilkny.org/search.asp.

COVID-19 Vaccines

The Onondaga County Health Department will be offering a COVID-19 vaccination clinic all three days at EFD. They’ll be administering the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine – get in, get out and get vaccinated! About 10.5 million New Yorkers are already fully vaccinated – 53.9% of the state’s population. There are still portions of Upstate New York where the vaccination rate is far below the state average, though. Protect yourself and your loved ones by receiving a shot at EFD.

Founded in 1965, Lee Newspapers publishes targeted trade publications and trade shows for the agricultural, heavy construction, aggregate, commercial horticulture and solid waste industries. The Trade Show Division manages five of the most well-known events on the East Coast, including Empire Farm Days, Keystone Farm Show, Virginia Farm Show, Empire State Producers Expo and Hard Hat Expo. For more information, visit empirefarmdays.leetradeshows.com.