Regancrest getting set to host 2013 Farm Progress Hay Expo June 19-20

by Kelli Boylen
freelance writer

The family members at Regancrest Farms in rural Waukon constantly keep their operation visitor ready, which is a good thing since between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors are expected for two days this June.
Organizers of the 27th Annual Farm Progress Hay Expo, which is being hosted this year by the Regans, are expecting that many visitors to the event June 19 and 20.
Although the purpose of the event is for hay producers to see the latest in products and services in the forage industry (forage is defined as plants consumed by livestock), anyone who is interested in agriculture is welcome to attend. The two-day hay extravaganza will showcase mowing, conditioning, baling, hay handling and silage demonstrations on alfalfa.
“Regancrest is well-known and respected in the area for their highly productive dairy genetics and farming practices,” says Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress national events manager. “We are very pleased to have Regancrest as the host for the Hay Expo in 2013.”
Hay Expo Marketing Specialist Dena Jensen says, “Our show is unique because of the working demonstrations. It gives farmers a chance to see several different brands working in the field at the same time under the same conditions. If they are considering a purchase, it’s a great time to compare what’s on the market.”
Bill and Angella Regan started Regancrest Farm with Registered Holsteins in 1951. One of the goals was to breed profitable cows, and many would say they have certainly achieved that goal.
During the 1980s, Bill and Angella’s sons, Frank, Bill, Charlie and Ron Regan, worked into a partnership on the farm. They were milking about 150 cows and had a double-eight parlor. In February of 1999, work was completed on a new dairy facility, which could handle up to 600 cows. The freestall barns were complemented with a double-16 parlor. The Regans have been adding and updating ever since, including housing for young stock.
In Fall 2012, members of the next generation, Sean, Sheri, Brian and Mitch, joined the partnership. In all, 12 of the 16 full-time employees on the farm are members of the Regan family. There are also various part-time milkers.
Frank manages the genetics, daily animal health and helps with veterinarian work. Sheri also work with genetics and manages the office.
Bill is the business manager, and handles crops and machinery along with Brian, Sean and Mitch. Ron handles the feeding and buying of commodities for the more than 1,000 head on the farm, along with his brother-in-law, Darrell Henning, and Ron’s son, Drew.
Charlie is the parlor manager and is in charge of milkings, along with Bill’s wife, Karen. Frank’s wife, Mary, is in charge of taking care of the calves.
Regancrest is one of the best known family farms for genetics in the dairy industry. Many, many pedigrees for excellent cows have the Regancrest name in their ancestry, not just in the United States, but also in Japan, Germany, Spain and South Africa, just to name a few.
Their bull, Regancrest Elton Durham, is among the most well-known bulls in the world, and there are 24 Durham sons among the top-scoring Holstein bulls currently available in the U.S. artificial insemination industry. Almost all dairy artificial insemination companies carry bulls from Regancrest.
The family farms 2,500 acres, growing most of their own crops including hay, corn, soybeans, at oats.
Bill says the preparations for the Hay Expo at the farm will really be minimal; they will have about 100 acres ready for the event, tent and parking. They altered their crop rotation a little to make sure the area is sufficient. Usually they cut hay about every 28 days, so they will try to have their first cutting timed so that the second cutting will be during the Hay Expo.
The 27th annual Hay Expo returns to northeast Iowa after several shows were held in Minnesota and central Iowa. The Hay Expo has a history of choosing a new location almost every year. Jensen says they try to pick a location for the show at least a year in advance.
Dena states, “We want this to be very little work for our host farmer. Planting a field may be needed to have enough acres in one area for demonstrations or adding a driveway for an entrance, but we don’t want this to be an inconvenience for the host.”
A 10-acre exhibit site will display a wide variety of haying equipment. In addition to the outdoor lots, the Haying Industries Tent will feature other products and services. Product specialists will be on hand to discuss forage seed, hay marketing, crop protection and production, conservation and crop insurance. Exhibitors plan to showcase a host of new products aimed at boosting the efficiency and profitability of hay and forage production.
Bill says that improvements to haying equipment and technology in the last decade have helped them to harvest more of their alfalfa at peak times.
Hay Expo organizers and the Regans have been working with some local organizations as well. The Allamakee Cattlemen’s Association, Allamakee Dairy Promoters and WW Homestead Dairy will be food vendors during the event, local high school FFA members will help with parking, and the Allamakee Antique Tractor Association will have tractors on display, as well as helping out where they can.
The organizers of the Hay Expo had asked Regans to host the event for several years, and this year they thought the timing was right. Bill says they also talked to other dairy farmers in northeast Iowa who have hosted the event in the past, including Hamletts near Strawberry Point and Knutsons near Ossian.
The 2013 Farm Progress Hay Expo will be held June 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show site is located off of Highway 9, north of Waukon. Admission is free, but there is a charge for parking. The public is welcome to attend. For more information, visit www.HayExpo.com or call 866-264-7469.