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[Pages H291-H292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 103RD PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, over the weekend, the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania kicked off one of my favorite events, the
Pennsylvania Farm Show.
For more than a century, farmers have gathered each January at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 102 years ago, the
very first Pennsylvania Farm Show was held on January 23 through
January 25, 1917, under the title of the Pennsylvania Corn, Fruit,
Vegetable, Dairy Products, and Wool Show.
In 1955, Dr. Milton Eisenhower, Penn State University president at
the time and the brother of the then-President of the United States,
Dwight D. Eisenhower, dubbed the Pennsylvania Farm Show ``always the
greatest show on Earth.''
Thanks to the dedication of the Pennsylvania farmers and farm
families, tens of thousands of volunteers, and generations of
agribusiness owners
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and staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the
Pennsylvania Farm Show continues to be among the greatest shows on
Earth.
This weeklong event is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in
the Nation, showcasing over 6,000 animals, featuring nearly 12,000
exhibits and more than half a million visitors.
Each year, I host a listening session at the Farm Show, and we
covered a range of topics on Saturday during the public forum, from
raising awareness about agriculture education to helping our dairy
farmers, and more. We discussed the passage of the 2018 farm bill,
which will restore certainty for our farm families, provide nutritional
support and greater opportunity for ultimate food security through
employment for our neighbors in financial need, renew a pathway to
prosperity for our dairy producers, and build toward a stronger rural
economy.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Pennsylvania Secretary of
Agriculture, Russell Redding, for participating in the listening
session, and also my colleagues: Congressman Dwight Evans, Congressman
Dan Meuser, and Congressman Lloyd Smucker.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show truly does bring together so many
different people in the ag community, and it is an event like no other.
The Farm Show complex houses 24 acres under one roof, spread
throughout 11 buildings, including three arenas. There is no admission
fee. It is a great event for the entire family, and there are numerous
educational shows.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show provides an atmosphere for everyone to
walk through, observe, and educate themselves about the different areas
of agriculture, the Commonwealth's largest industry, which brings
nearly $6.9 billion annually in agricultural cash receipts. Almost half
a million jobs are tied to the industry, which positively impacts all
Pennsylvanians.
Madam Speaker, 103 years ago, the Pennsylvania Farm Show was a 3-day
exhibit. Today, the event is a weeklong celebration of how the
agriculture industry touches our lives every day. Proudly, this event
draws visitors from across the country to highlight everything our
State has to offer when it comes to ag. Numerous students participate
in the event as well from 4-H clubs to FFA organizations.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show truly showcases our Nation's farmers and
landowners. I was thrilled to again take part in the best agricultural
expo in the country.
Madam Speaker, I want to close with the words from the prologue to
the 100th anniversary book that is published by the Farm Show
Foundation, with the Farm Show being dedicated to the farmers who feed
us, the Penn State extension staff that lead us, and the consumers that
need us.
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