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Planet Agriculture
Growth EXPLOSIVE!

By Lana Robinson
Field Editor

A lot can be said about Texas Farm Bureau's interactive exhibit, "Planet Agriculture." It's an educational concept designed to reconnect participants with farming and ranching. It demonstrates agriculture's daily touch on everyone—well beyond the necessities of food and clothing. It utilizes interactive displays to enhance the learning process through sight, sound and touch. It approaches agriculture from the consumer's perspective and how they interact on a daily basis. It appeals to all ages, and the list goes on. But did you know it is perhaps the only exhibit of its kind in the United States—maybe the Western Hemisphere?

"We're in our second full year of programs, and one thing you are always trying to do is to improve," says James Gipe, Texas Farm Bureau's urban relations director who oversees the popular exhibit.

There is a big international company called Barn Tours, that goes all across the country and around the world doing tours for these various big events, like the State Fair of Texas. I was asking the coordinator of the program for some insights on where I might go see some things, some ag displays, to help us improve on what we're doing. She said, `Maybe Australia or Germany. In the U.S., nobody is doing what you're doing.'

"Planet Agriculture" showcases the byproducts of cotton, dairy, pork, sheep and goats, poultry, beef, forestry, grains and legumes. The exhibit's "Consumer Corner" provides interesting information on nutrition, food safety and prices. The exhibit also presents a conservation message and features a miniature, fully operational cotton gin. Depending on the location, visitors will see live chickens, baby chicks, poults, turkeys, a sheep and goat, piglets, a beef cow and her calf, a dairy cow, a rainfall simulator and more. And they'll get to feel cotton, wool, mohair and other agricultural commodities.

Five interactive computer stations feature programs that highlight the importance of agriculture in everyday life, and numerous posters and signs detail agricultural fun facts.

Producers are the best ones to tell their own story, and "Planet Agriculture" allows them to do that.

"It's great to see them relating and sharing how the crops and animals they produce directly impact the consumers who visit the booth," says Gipe. "Our county leaders are a very important part of the display. We invite those from surrounding counties to come in and help by manning exhibits. `Planet Agriculture' gives them a great platform to be able to tell their story. The field staff, particularly our urban coordinators, have been instrumental in the success of the `Planet Agriculture' exhibit. We also rely on staff from the Waco office to assist us. The bottom line is it's a team effort."

While the full-blown "Planet Agriculture" is reserved for bigger shows, in order to maximize the resource, Gipe also notes that each TFB field representative has a miniature byproducts display that has worked out well for smaller events.

"We target kids, but it also attracts adults. Our emphasis is on how agriculture touches you daily, in ways other than just food and clothing. People are always amazed to learn about the different byproducts and the contributions of farmers and ranchers," he says.

Pride and progress

The "Planet Agriculture" concept began in 1997, during the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo in Waco, with a 2,300 square foot exhibit that has since grown to a 4,300 square foot display at the HOT Fair.

From its beginnings in Waco, "Planet Agriculture" expanded to the Fort Worth Stock Show in 2000 with over 5,300 square feet. Exposure received in Fort Worth provided new opportunities with the North Texas State Fair in Denton, State Fair of Texas in Dallas, West Texas Fair & Rodeo in Abilene, and the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo in Austin.

"Our show schedule has expanded. It's the second year we've been at the State Fair. In March, we made our debut at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo in Austin and set up for two days in the Capitol rotunda for National Ag Week. We also added a stint at Six Flags Over Texas in July. It's been a busy year, a very good year for Planet Agriculture."

Other events on "Planet Agri-culture's" 2001 schedule included the Fort Worth Stock Show in January, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in February, the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes in March, the North Texas State Fair & Rodeo in Denton in August; West Texas Fair & Rodeo, Abilene, and the East Texas State Fair, Tyler, in September; and the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo in Waco the second week of October.

Two million touched by exhibit

During the year 2000, nearly 2 million people experienced the "Planet Agriculture" exhibit, not counting the multitude of people reached through live and recorded TV coverages and numerous articles in major metropolitan newspapers and other publications.

"The past two years, at the Fort Worth Stock Show, we have been on `Good Morning Texas'. The news stations come out and do stories. Numerous articles about our exhibit have appeared in local papers around the state," he says. "We really appreciate the coverage."

Gipe projects that the numbers of visitors to "Planet Ag" will again approach 2 million before year's end.

Several agricultural groups, including the Texas Beef Council and Texas Pork Producers, have provided funding for displays. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has also participated in several events.

"We have a great relationship with Borden's. They have Elsie and Beauregard, a great attraction that pulls in a lot of people," says Gipe.

Other major sponsors have included TXU Electric and Gas, Pilgrim's Pride, Inc., Dodge, Kroger Company, and H-E-B, Inc. In Waco, Coleman Autoplex has been an H.O.T. Fair sponsor. Cargill has also been a major supporter.

"I just shake my head at how far we have gone, and at how fast it's happened. We have even had to turn back requests because we just can't handle them all," says Gipe, adding: "I think it's one of the best things our organization has done to promote agriculture."