Forty Montevallo High School and Shelby County High School Agriscience Education students traveled to Moultrie, Georgia on October 16–17 to attend the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition.  With help from the Shelby County ALFA Farmer’s Federation, the group was able to travel via charter bus for the approximately six hour trip. 

The Sunbelt Expo has been held each fall in Moultrie for 36 years and highlights the premier quality and professionalism geared to benefit today’s agriculture.  More than 1,200 exhibitors showcased new and innovative equipment, livestock, and educational opportunities. 

Students toured equipment exhibits, tried out innovative welding gear, spoke with recruiters from universities with agriculture colleges, attended livestock shows, and met with agribusiness executives.   

Additionally,  a 600 acre research farm onsite is operated to demonstrate such activities as row crops being gathered, hay being baled, livestock being worked, and GPS operated farm equipment being featured.  The students had the opportunity to see commodities such as peanuts, cotton, and soybeans being harvested in the research field demonstrations. 

“I was really able to see agriculture on a larger scale, and used the Expo as an interactive classroom,” said Montevallo FFA President, Meredith Goggins.

For many students, this was the first time they could see what they have learned about in the classroom apply in a real-world situation.  All students returned with a clearer understanding of agriculture’s economic impact on America and the promising outlook for agricultural sector careers.