3,000 FFA Students to Attend 2014 Western Farm Show To Participate in "Border War" Food Drive and Learning Opportunities
Kansas City, Mo. (PRWEB) February 10, 2014 -- Helping to fight hunger and expanding their agricultural education will be goals for an estimated 3,000 FFA students from Missouri and Kansas expected to attend the 2014 Western Farm Show, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 21-23, at the American Royal Complex in Kansas City, Mo.
The Missouri and Kansas FFA Associations are partnering once again with this premier Midwest farm show to help build awareness about food insecurity. On Friday, Feb. 21, which is FFA Day at the show, the students will bring canned and other nonperishable food items for donation to Harvesters Community Food Network in what has become known as the annual Missouri-Kansas "Border War" Food Drive.
In addition to "bragging rights" for the state association that collects the most items, a $500 prize is at stake for the individual chapter that brings in the highest total. The massive snowstorm that struck the region right before the start of last year’s Western Farm Show unfortunately prevented most FFA chapters from traveling to the event, so FFA students are eagerly looking forward to participating at the 2014 show.
Based in Kansas City, Harvesters is a clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and related household products in western Missouri and eastern Kansas, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes, homes for the mentally disabled and shelters for battered persons.
FFA students attending the Western Farm Show will also benefit from educational and career information. "The Western Farm Show offers these students a unique opportunity to experience the latest trends, products and services within the agricultural industry," said Cory Hayes, director of education for the SouthWestern Association, the show producer. "For these youths, the show represents an invaluable extension of their agricultural classroom experience."
From a career standpoint, the Oklahoma State University booth will again feature its Equipment Technician Training Program, offered by the OSU Institute of Technology, for students looking to earn a degree in equipment maintenance and repair.
To receive free admission to the show on FFA Day, Friday, Feb. 21, Missouri and Kansas FFA chapter advisers can visit http://www.WesternFarmShow.com to fill out and submit a ticket request form online.
About the Western Farm Show:
The 2014 Western Farm Show will feature over 500 exhibitors and more than 400,000 square feet of floor space that will showcase one of the largest indoor displays of farm equipment and other agricultural products in the Midwest. Other attractions include the Stockmanship and Stewardship Low-Stress Livestock Handling Demonstration, the Health & Safety Roundup and Family Living Center. Also featured is the Championship Tractor Pull, which will be held at Kemper Arena, adjacent to the American Royal, and requires a separate admission.
Show hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Adult admission is $8 and free for children 12 and under. For more information, visit http://www.WesternFarmShow.com, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WesternFarmShow and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/WesternFarmShow or Instagram at http://instagram.com/WesternFarmShow.
Ken Dean, Western Farm Show, http://www.westernfarmshow.com, +1 (816) 561-5323, [email protected]
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