<\/p>\n
The Four States Agricultural Exposition hopes to bounce back from a drop in attendance last year with a revitalized program.<\/p>\n
The Ag Expo began Thursday at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in Cortez.<\/p>\n
Long one of the Four Corners\u2019 most prominent and longest-running agricultural events, the expo drew about 8,000 attendees in 2013, said Kevin Lanyon, president of the organization.<\/p>\n
This year, the expo is bringing in well-known horse trainer John Lyons, increasing entertainment throughout the show, including Durango\u2019s Bar D Wranglers, and expanding the children\u2019s program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt the show needed a refresher,\u201d Lanyon said. \u201cWe needed to shake things up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The expo wants to bring in local residents who are not necessarily involved in agriculture full-time, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really wanted to try to appeal to a broader spectrum,\u201d he said. \u201cWe wanted to reach out to folks who, maybe they\u2019re not into farming, but maybe they\u2019re into gardening.\u201d<\/p>\n
The expanded children\u2019s program has been renamed CALF \u2013 Children\u2019s Ag Learning Facility, formerly Ag Adventure.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s expo will also feature a yak presentation.<\/p>\n
More than 200 vendors will attend. All the vendor slots are sold-out, organizers said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favorite part is just interacting with people,\u201d said Dusty Beals, owner of Hayes Ranches on the Dryside, west of Breen. \u201cYou see neighbors, you see people you haven\u2019t seen in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beals serves as chairman of the bull and heifer sale. The sale is one of the expo\u2019s highlights.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year\u2019s show, we had zero, no sales \u2013 none,\u201d Lanyon said.<\/p>\n
Agriculture in Southwest Colorado faces a host of challenges, from drought to rising land prices.<\/p>\n
Beals said the effects of drought conditions vary widely.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s dry for some, but in other places, it\u2019s not really that dry,\u201d he said. \u201cMontezuma County\u2019s expecting to have an OK year for irrigation, so there is going to be some pasture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hay prices could go either way, Beals said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to look at how the drought is affecting our community, but we have to also look at how other communities are abundant in water, which also affects our community in hay and cattle prices,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Land prices are also affecting agriculture, especially in La Plata County.<\/p>\n
\u201cLa Plata County used to be a huge ag community and we\u2019re losing that \u2013 not only because of the drought but high land prices,\u201d Beals said. \u201cChange is good to a point, and bringing new people in is good to a point, but I hate to see ag land go away.\u201d<\/p>\n
The expo runs through Saturday.<\/p>\n