News Release Distributed 12/17/10

WEST MONROE, La. – Ag Alley, a combination of several "alleys" filled with information about different Louisiana agricultural products and commodities, will again be featured at the 29th annual Ag Expo in January.

Ag Expo will be open to the general public on Friday, Jan. 14, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center. Special tours for first- and fourth-graders will be offered by appointment on Jan. 12-13.

Presented under the direction of the LSU AgCenter, Ag Alley for fourth-graders will feature soybeans, sweet potatoes, horses and a mini-farm with an emphasis on poultry, said Cynthia Stephens, LSU AgCenter agent in Ouachita Parish.

First-graders will attend “From Farm to Table,” where they will learn money skills and nutrition and watch a puppet show on character education. They also will go through the germ tent and learn the importance of hand-washing.

The North Louisiana Agri-Business Council sponsors Ag Expo, an event that promotes the agribusiness industry and educates the public on the importance of agriculture. The event is attended by 10,000 to 11,000 people.

Mary Ann Van Osdell