TULARE --Tulare County tops Wisconsin as the largest milk yielding area in United States. Unsurprisingly, cattle will be king at the World Ag Expo 2008, February 12-14. This year's expo has expanded to include a dairy area of 100,000 square feet and a "Dairy Technology Center," in addition to staged outdoor dairy exhibits.

Seventeen hundred exhibitors and attendees from 67 countries will display their wares on the 2.6 million square feet of ground.

New products will be showcased in a larger pavilion area on Median and "T" Street.

The more than 500 exhibit spaces devoted to dairy production, technology and education include 130 new dairy exhibits. Most of the new exhibit space available on the grounds has been set aside for the dairy technology center.

But the World Ag Expo is for more than just dairy farmers.

A range of free agribusiness seminars during the expo will discuss everything from the struggles of Workers Compensation regulations to agricultural workforce uncertainties, according to seminar chairman Tom Lockwood. Sessions will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A prayer breakfast will be in the Heritage Comples Banquet Hall at 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Feb. 13. The theme will be "Vision in Agriculture." Ben Yale from Ohio, an attorney who works with numerous agricultural businesses and organizations, will be the keynote speaker.

With a family dairy farm background, Yale's law work has been almost entirely dairy related from coast to coast since 1973. He also teaches an adult Sunday school class when his travel schedule allows, has produced a lecture series on Jesus in the gospels, speaks several Greek dialects and has studied Spanish, Russian and Chinese.

The World Ag Expo will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $10. Organizers anticipate 120,000 visitors during the ever-growing trade show.

An eight-horse hitch of the Budweiser Clydesdales will parade through the Expo grounds every day at noon. The giant draft horses are used primarily for breeding and show and are descendents of ones brought to the U.S. by Canadians of Scottish descent in the mid-1800s.

A single Clydesdale hitch horse consumes as much as 20-25 quarts of feed, 40-50 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.

Free parking is available on Expo grounds, but attendees are encouraged to utilize the free, off-site parking services to minimize congestion.

For information, call toll-free, 1-800-999-9186. Those who register through the Internet at www.worldagexpo.com will receive a discount.

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John Rieping of The Madera Tribune contributed to this story.

Ramona Frances Ramona Frances is a staff columnist, writer and photographer for the Madera Tribune. You may contact Ramona at 674.8134 ext. 222 or by e-mail ramona (at) maderatribune.net The Madera Tribune online subscription To subscribe or log on, CLICK HERE. For more information first, CLICK HERE.