Ag Progress Days celebrates five decades of innovation and education at Rock Springs

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In Rock Springs, Christmas comes in August. At least, that’s how Bob Oberheim remembers it.

For more than two decades as show manager of Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition, Oberheim spent all year building toward three days. Months of meetings, exhibitor coordination, equipment deliveries and thousands of small decisions.

“It was like Christmas,” Oberheim, who is now retired, said. “Months ahead, you’re planning. You’re getting everything ready. You’re thinking about every detail.”

As August approached, the grounds transformed. Tractors rolled in. Tents rose. By Monday night, anticipation filled the air.

“There’s always something you wish you’d remembered,” he said. “But when the gates open on Tuesday, that’s Christmas morning. The public would come in. The energy they brought — that was like opening presents.”

Exhibitors greet visitors. Researchers share discoveries. Conversations fill the walkways. And attendees learn and imagine new and exciting ways agriculture is feeding a hungry world.

By Thursday afternoon, teardown begins.

“That’s when you start picking up the wrapping paper,” Oberheim said.

For more than 50 years, Penn State’s Ag Progress Days at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center has followed that rhythm: months of preparation, three days of energy, and then the dismantling of a temporary city built to serve Pennsylvania agriculture.

“Ag Progress Days is a place where everyone can come to learn, be inspired, and see what it takes to provide abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber,” said Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Visitors can see how we do this while stewarding and restoring the environment, and how we drive economic development across the commonwealth through research-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Today, Ag Progress Days is one of the largest agricultural expositions in the eastern United States, with nearly 500 commercial and educational exhibits, machinery demonstrations, live animal exhibits, research tours, youth activities and more.

The 2026 edition of Ag Progress Days is scheduled for Aug. 11-13.

Before Rock Springs

Debra Gregory, former extension educator and a longtime volunteer at the Pasto Agricultural Museum on the Ag Progress Days grounds, remembers the event when it was held at a different site each year. One show in the early 1970s took place at the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, under massive tents along Route 322.

As a Lancaster County 4-H member, Gregory attended with a group invited to give food demonstrations and display projects. Rain poured down, turning the grounds to mud. When the event ended, participants trudged back to their cars through areas churned up by tractor traffic. Even now, she said, rainy days at Ag Progress Days bring back that memory.

“Ag Progress Days has changed a lot over the years with many more buildings where tents used to be,” she said. “But families of all ages still come — grandparents with grandchildren, young farmers with their children.”

Ag Progress Days, she said, continues to offer a safe, educational setting that inspires and connects families to Penn State resources.

A meeting place

“Penn State’s dedication to our agriculture community is so deeply innate, it was the reason the institution was founded,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, a Penn State alumnus and member of the University's Board of Trustees. “It’s what Congress and President Lincoln envisioned: an institution whose mission was to teach, research, and extend that knowledge to others to ensure progress. Penn State’s ag science and extension teams have upheld this calling with tremendous passion, dedication and knowledge.”

In 2026, Ag Progress Days marks 50 years at Rock Springs as its permanent home — a distinction that has resulted in a proclamation from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recognizing the event's long history of supporting the state's agriculture industry.

But its roots stretch back much further.

Long before tents and tractors filled these fields, Penn State was hosting agricultural field days across the state. In the late 1800s, those gatherings were known as Farmers Institutes: state-sponsored meetings where University specialists traveled county to county, often by train, sharing research, demonstrating new practices and bringing practical education directly to farmers.

For many, it was the only opportunity to hear about new research in person and from the people who actually conducted the research.

“In many ways, Ag Progress Days links back to that tradition,” said Chuck Gill, retired senior public relations specialist with the college. “Although we have technologies now to help provide practical, science-based information to farmers, that can’t replace face-to-face interaction and enabling them to see things for themselves in person.”

For producers, it’s “one-stop shopping,” Gill said — a place to evaluate new equipment, talk with Penn State experts about their operations, and network with peers across the industry. For the public, it offers a window into the science behind their food, from production practices to nutrition, and a chance to see how research performed by the University connects to everyday life.

That connection is visible across the grounds, Ott said.

“As Pennsylvania’s only land-grant university, we work to develop science-based solutions that strengthen farm profitability while protecting our natural resources,” he said. “The technology and research highlighted at Ag Progress Days — from precision agriculture to innovations in environmental stewardship — show how we are helping producers meet growing demand while sustaining the landscapes that support us.”

A show for everyone

Ag Progress Days draws a wide range of visitors.

“As we look at what progress means, we must realize that implementing conservation practices on a 10th-generation dairy farm in Lancaster and upgrading tools and equipment in an urban garden in Philadelphia both represent progress to those individuals and communities,” Redding said.

Over three days in 2025, Ag Progress Days drew an estimated 42,000 visitors from across Pennsylvania and beyond — producers, agribusiness leaders, government officials, home gardeners, families and consumers curious about how their food is grown.

They explored more than 430 exhibits, toured research fields, watched machinery demonstrations, and spoke directly with faculty and extension educators.

The event reflects extension’s broader mission, said Jeffrey Hyde, director of Penn State Extension.

“At its core, extension is about helping people learn something that was discovered through solid research,” Hyde said. “Whether it’s food preservation, safe food handling, youth development, natural resources or production agriculture, people learn about it at Ag Progress Days. Sometimes that’s at a commercial scale; other times, it helps families see how agriculture connects to their own households.”

What sets the show apart, said current manager Jesse Darlington, is the presence of Penn State faculty and extension educators throughout the site.

“We’re able to offer a wide range of educational programs and resources for visitors of all ages,” he said.

The trade show stretches across the grounds, displaying machinery, livestock systems, fertilizers, and agricultural services. Inside the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building, visitors explore emerging technologies such as machine vision and robotics in tree fruit and mushroom production, along with topics such as animal health, invasive species, and agricultural careers.

Families find activities throughout the grounds, including 4-H and wildlife exhibits, a corn maze and a butterfly house. Through hands-on experiences at the Pasto Agricultural Museum, they can trace rural life from 4,000 B.C. to the 1940s.

Visitors interested in research can board buses to the surrounding Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center fields, consisting of more than 2,000 acres, where faculty and extension educators discuss topics such as vegetable production, livestock management, forest stewardship and pond management.

Practical advice is available in the Yard and Garden Area, where Penn State Extension Master Gardeners and specialists in horticulture, entomology and plant pathology offer guidance on plant health, pest management and pollinators.

The Equine Experience showcases Pennsylvania’s horse industry, while the Crops, Soils, and Conservation Area focuses on renewable energy, crop management and natural resource stewardship. In the Family Room building, extension educators lead food demonstrations and discussions on nutrition, food safety, stress management and other aspects of healthy living.

Demonstrations and exhibits at the Farm Safety Area and the Rural Health and Safety Tent address topics such as tractor rollovers, all-terrain vehicle operation, emergency response, and health and wellness issues.

State and federal officials also attend the show, joining Penn State experts and industry leaders for discussions on agricultural policy.

“The college’s role is to provide science-based solutions to the challenges facing agriculture, natural resources, and communities, and to drive innovation and economic development through research, teaching, and technology transfer,” Ott said. “But many of these challenges and opportunities require government action, and Ag Progress Days attracts county, state, and federal government officials who can learn the science behind the policy decisions they may be asked to make.”

Ott and Redding noted that Ag Progress Days features town halls and joint House and Senate committee meetings to hear farmers’ concerns and explore what it takes to move agriculture forward.

From tents to permanent buildings

When Oberheim became show manager in 1992, Ag Progress Days looked different, he said.

There were 285 exhibitors, nearly all operating under tents. By the time Oberheim retired in 2016, the show had grown to about 500 exhibitors. Most major agricultural equipment manufacturers had a presence, and many conducted field demonstrations.

As the exhibitor base expanded, so did the infrastructure to support it. From the beginning, Oberheim worked in collaboration with college leadership to replace large exhibit tents with permanent structures. Over time, the landscape came to include buildings such as Ag Choice, Everett Cash Mutual, the Equine Building, and the Joseph D. Harrington Conservation Building—named in memory of the agronomy professor and Ag Progress Days manager who christened Rock Springs as the permanent site in 1976.

With about 70% of attendees directly connected to agriculture, the show stayed focused on agriculture rather than arts, crafts, and entertainment, as one might find at a county fair. Equipment manufacturers and industry groups valued an audience that could evaluate machinery, technology, and practices for their own operations.

For companies such as Hoober Inc. — a 12-location agricultural equipment dealership representing brands such as Case IH, Kubota, and JCB — that focus has made Ag Progress Days a cornerstone event. Hoober has exhibited along the site’s Main Street for 50 years.

“What I value most about the show is the conversations we have with farmers,” said Bradley Hershey, a partner and store manager at Hoober. “It’s a chance to catch up with existing customers, hear from those who purchased equipment this past year, and meet new people to see whether Hoober is a good fit for their operations.”

First impressions matter

Oberheim credits Joe Harrington, who preceded him as show manager, with setting high expectations for the grounds.

First impressions mattered, whether for a first-time visitor or someone simply driving by, he said. Oberheim wanted the site to resemble a golf course. Maintaining that standard encouraged companies to invest in the show and reinforced support from the University and the college.

When Darlington began as manager, the site had about a dozen buildings. Today, there are more than 20. Improvements over time have strengthened the grounds’ reputation as one of the premier outdoor agricultural show venues in the country.

With a mountain backdrop and more than 100 acres of maintained grass, the grounds are designed to feel open and orderly, Darlington noted.

Beyond Ag Progress Days, the site hosts educational programs throughout the year. The Pennsylvania Forest Products Equipment and Technology Exposition — known as the Pennsylvania Timber Show — takes place there every other year.

New tools and technologies

Agricultural technology has transformed dramatically in recent decades — an evolution on full display at Ag Progress Days.

Machinery grew larger and smarter. Sprayers expanded to 120-foot booms. Planters seeded 12 rows at once. Self-propelled harvesters cut and processed crops in a single pass.

Then came precision. GPS guidance became standard. Autosteer reduced fatigue and improved accuracy. Drones scanned fields from above. Dairy herd monitoring systems delivered real-time data on animal health.

“Our commercial exhibitors knew they had to stay cutting-edge to remain profitable and keep their customers profitable,” Oberheim said. The show pushed companies to debut their newest technologies.

One early turning point came when John Deere introduced a ride-and-drive tractor demonstration at the expo. Farmers could operate the newest and largest tractors, including those equipped with emerging autosteer systems. Within a few years, other major manufacturers followed. The demonstration signaled that the show was open to new ideas and committed to staying relevant.

Hoober’s long tenure reflects that evolution. “Ag Progress Days has always been one of the most important agricultural shows that Hoober attends each year,” a company representative said. “From Steiger tractors in the 1970s to Case IH Axial-Flow combines to today’s DJI agricultural drones, Ag Progress Days has been vital in helping dealers connect technology to farmers.”

The progress extends beyond machinery. Improved seed hybrids have increased yields, and data-driven tools help farmers make more informed decisions.

As costs rise, every pass across a field must count, Darlington said. Precision technology allows farmers to apply fertilizer and crop protection products only where needed, reducing costs and protecting nearby streams and groundwater.

For Secretary Redding, the value lies not only in the equipment but in seeing it work.

He recalled joining an extension demonstration of a forage harvester last summer. An equipment dealer and extension educator explained how efficiently the machine chopped silage and what to watch for in the field.

“It’s a moment you just can’t have anywhere else,” Redding said. “Technological progress, along with close-up instruction on how it works and what difference it will make on your farm, is why people come to Ag Progress Days.”

The other 362 days

Ag Progress Days lasts three days in August, but organizers prepare all year.

They plant crops in the spring for field demonstrations. They coordinate close to 500 exhibitors. Faculty and staff design workshops and tours alongside their regular duties. Grounds crews prepare the site. Teams review safety plans, map parking, and schedule demonstrations.

“The amount of coordination and the sheer number of details may surprise people,” said Gill.

In his role as public relations specialist, Gill joined the planning committee in the early 1990s and handled much of the show’s communications for decades — writing and producing radio spots, news releases, public address announcements, and the printed program guide. He also staffed the media room during the show.

“For many years, my June, July and August were pretty much Ag Progress Days all the time,” Gill said.

He also scripted and recorded narration for what was then the General Research Tour, now the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center Farm Tour.

Coordinating the tour required careful choreography. Faculty provided details about ongoing projects to the tour coordinator, who mapped a route across gravel roads and grassy lanes.

Gill and the tour coordinator — Plant Pathologist John Ayers, and later Research Technician Roxanne Lease — drove the route repeatedly to ensure each plot was visible from the bus. If a field passed too quickly, they shortened the narration; if there was distance between plots, they built in pauses or added “filler” information.

“There was some art to it,” Gill said.

Gill recorded the narration onto cassette tapes, which played through bus-mounted sound systems as a graduate student rode along as a guide. In 30 minutes, visitors gained an overview of thousands of acres of active research.

The process was meticulous. It also gave Gill a working knowledge of the research farms, something he later drew on when writing news releases or fielding media questions.

Today, the format has changed, but the goal remains: Help visitors understand the work happening in the fields beyond the show grounds.

Service after hours

Oberheim recalls a moment from his second year as show manager.

One Thursday night after 11 p.m., two tractor-trailers arrived from an agricultural show in New York. The drivers planned to park and unload in the morning. Instead, Oberheim arranged to unload the equipment immediately so they could return to the road.

The equipment belonged to what became one of the show’s strongest long-term exhibitors. The company later said the decision saved time and money and showed their investment mattered.

“We wanted the show to grow,” Oberheim said. “We wanted our exhibitors to succeed.”

That focus continues under Darlington. His team plans years ahead while adjusting details in real time — monitoring weather, managing parking and demonstrations, and preparing for everything from electrical issues to a lost child.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed another test. After months of planning, organizers canceled the in-person event but built a virtual show in four weeks — one of the few agricultural events nationwide to do so. The experience strengthened the expo’s digital outreach and added tools still used today.

“I can’t say enough about the job the Ag Progress Days managers have done over the years to keep the show relevant and valuable,” Gill said, crediting Joe Harrington, Oberheim, Darlington, and longtime program and office managers for keeping the event running smoothly.

A living laboratory

“A lot of what we do here goes beyond the three days of the show,” Darlington said.

Last year, organizers built a slash wall as part of a timber harvest demonstration. A slash wall uses lower-value wood from a harvest to build a barrier that keeps deer out of regeneration areas. What began as a demonstration now supports ongoing research and education at the site.

Extension Director Hyde said lasting impact depends on relationships built over time.

“Ag Progress Days is a chance to develop and renew relationships,” Hyde said. “Many trust extension because they trust extension’s people. That trust provides a listening ear when we talk about the latest science and technology during the event and throughout the year.”

Bringing together researchers, extension educators, producers, and industry leaders accelerates progress, Ott noted.

“When those groups come together, innovation moves faster,” he said. “Producers can talk with faculty developing new technologies. Extension educators gain insight into emerging needs in the field. Industry partners can see where research is headed. That interaction keeps our work grounded in real-world challenges and helps turn discovery into impact.”

A taste of Pennsylvania

If Ag Progress Days runs on tractors and research, it runs just as reliably on ribeye sandwiches and milkshakes.

“It’s a way to capture the flavor of Pennsylvania agriculture,” Gill said. Nearly everything served on the grounds is produced in Pennsylvania and sold by commodity groups promoting their industries.

The Cattlemen’s Association grills ribeye steak sandwiches. Vendors fry mushrooms to a steady line of customers. Fairbrook United Methodist Church draws loyal fans for its chicken corn chowder. In recent years, the Dairymen’s Association has brought its famous Farm Show milkshakes to Rock Springs.

“Those are the best milkshakes I’ve ever had,” Gill said.

Honey producers drizzle sweetness over sundaes. Vegetable growers serve fresh salads. The menu mirrors the state’s agricultural economy.

And the food does more than feed crowds.

“When I started, all my food vendors were nonprofits,” Oberheim said. “I could leave the show feeling very good about that.”

Churches, 4-H clubs, FFA chapters and commodity associations serve thousands of visitors over three days. The proceeds often sustain their programs for the year ahead.

“Many people may not realize that when they buy food here, they’re supporting nonprofit organizations,” Darlington said. “That money goes back into those programs.”

Faces of Ag Progress Days

Ask people what they value most about Ag Progress Days, and the answer is often the same: the people.

For Darlington, that’s clearest once the gates open.

“I love seeing it all come together,” he said. “Setup takes long hours and a lot of work. What keeps you going is the adrenaline: seeing friends, watching exhibitors arrive, and everything taking shape.”

After retiring from a 35-year Penn State career, Gill said he will miss interacting with colleagues, media representatives, and visitors.

“I’ll also miss seeing families and children marvel at the technology and educational exhibits as they learn something new about agriculture and our food system,” he said.

For Hyde, the highlight is connection.

“It’s great to welcome our government and industry partners, and it’s just as rewarding to see faculty and extension educators in action,” he said. “It gives me a lot of pride to listen to them talk about their work and see the impact they’re making.”

Looking ahead

New this year, Ag Progress Days will host the first FIRA Northeast Robotics Village, organized in partnership with GoFar and the Pittsburgh Robotics Factory. The area will include demonstrations showing how robots are used in agriculture and how the technology is reshaping farm operations.

“Agriculture will look very different in the decades ahead,” Ott said. “My hope is that Ag Progress Days continues to be a place where people can see what is coming next and understand how new ideas and technologies will shape the future of farming.

“Most importantly, I want Ag Progress Days to be a place that inspires the next generation to continue the tradition of farming the land, stewarding our natural resources, and working to improve our communities across the commonwealth."