Unlikely though it was, weather during World Ag Expo last week remained for the most part dry and sunny. It wasn't until the day following the Expo that the skies opened up and pounded the south county with rain. Usually that happens during the show.

This year it was only tule fog that enveloped Tulare as streams of muscle pickup trucks flowed onto the grounds of the 2005 World Ag Expo on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

The day-glo orange volunteer jackets bounced out of the fog like emergency lights. Following TV cables inside the Heritage Complex, a local TV station was setting up to go live in front of an educational display, while inside the main hall, it was carnival time. Palm trees divided the room and decorated the stage area along with purple bougainvillaea climbing up poles and some pretty potted posies.

The Tulare Western Steel Band, decked out in Hawaiian shirts, pounded out a hot tropical beat. Behind them were bouquets of black and white helium-filled balloons. Black and white are holstein cow colors, a prevailing theme around the Expo, on trash cans, on tape reserving seats and adorning gift baskets full of cow and ag goodies. An orange jacketed volunteer stopped to stick black and white holstein cow stickers on I.D. cards being worn by the press and others seated in the audience. Holstein hat bands were also big for those wearing straw beachcomber-style hats. The popular Ag Expo baseball caps had a holstein embroidered on one side. One almost expected to see happy cows sipping piña coladas.

There were scads of VIPs in the audience, and of course more on the dais, from politicians to beauty queens. A good part of the ceremonies would be comprised of those on the stage recognizing those in the audience for their contributions to the largest farm equipment show and exposition in the world.

"Cool isn't it!" said Ag Expo Chairman Rob Fletcher. "I'm excited, honored and humbled to be here." After introducing his extended family, most wearing orange jackets, he noted that the Expo had almost 1,600 exhibitors this year and takes up 2.5 million square feet of show grounds, an event of world significance right here in Tulare County.

The mayor of Tulare, Rich Ortega, agreed, calling it the "super show of farm shows with a tremendous economic impact for our entire area." He said it was "truly mind boggling to comprehend all the elements that go into getting the show assembled in a few days and to draw 100,000 people."

Tulare County Board of Supervisors Chairman Connie Conway recalled last year that Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger told her he had never seen so many tractors in one place. She presented a plaque from the supervisors to the volunteers for more than 30 years of service. This was the 38th Expo.

President of the International Agri-Center Jerry Magoon noted that, based on contacts at the Ag Expo, the amount of sales generated was $1.2 billion, "a very conservative estimate" and a boon to the economy. "If its found and used in agriculture, you can find it on the grounds here," he said.

President of the FFA, Grace Berryhill said that the Future Farmers of America has more than 60,000 members in California. She said coming to the Ag Expo was like coming to a family gathering.

Assemblyman Bill Maze, 34th Assembly District, called the show, "an exponential undertaking of the minds of men to make us more proficient in agriculture."

Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) said, "What an extraordinary center for showcasing this way of life," about the Heritage Center. "Every day is agricultural heritage day," he added.

California Department of Food and Agricultural Secretary A.G. Kawamura said California is the fourth largest ag economy in the world, superceded only by the United States, Brazil and China, in that order. He said the European Union would be fourth if they counted their agricultural production collectively, which would drop California to fifth place.

"We are the No. 1 customer of feed products from the midwest. Agriculture is very dynamic. This show brings together the greatest minds in applied science. In the face of enormous global competition, this show is important to the future of this country. In the next 5-10 years, in a world of 6 billion people, we need to bring everybody together and start thinking about our agricultural future. It's a tough, tough global environment. We do not want to think of ourselves as replaceable in the food and fiber production."

Milk (of course) and cookies were passed to attendees as they left the hall. A small cannon just outside the building made a terrific noise as it blasted off, signaling the officially opening the 2005 World Ag Expo.

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