The New York Farm Show displays every type of farming equipment from antiques to new, cutting-edge farming gear, like this year's showcased Astronaut A3 Robotic Milking System.

In its 21st year, the show will include more than 425 exhibitors, including some local businesses, like Empire Agri Systems and Morse Collins. Show manager Scott Grigor said about 90 percent of the exhibitors have participated in past years' shows, though many will be displaying new equipment and products.

The show, which is held at the state fairgrounds, begins today and continues through the weekend. Show organizers say that this year's show will feature new products ranging from dairy and timber-related equipment, to new tractors, mixer-feeder wagons, and utility vehicles, to a host of new seed varieties.

Some of the new attractions this year, Grigor said, are the robotic milking system, an auction to win a three-month lease on a brand new tractor and a display of the Silver Bullet tractor, one of the world's most powerful pulling tractors.

The auction is expected to be a big feature at the show this year, as the new Case IH MX215 tractor, which the highest bidder will be able to lease for three months, was just recently seen by dealers this month. The tractor will be auctioned off at 6 p.m. on Friday at the beginning of the 13th annual Robert Watson Memorial Toy Auction. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Future Farmers of America Alumni Scholarship Fund.

The FFA auction will also feature hundreds of collector and antique farm toys.The show will also feature a prize drawing this year, with the winner receiving a 1150 Miller Pro Rotary Rake.

One of the new featured displays is the robotic milking system, Grigor said, which was recently introduced in Europe. The Astronaut A3 milking system will be exhibited all three days - the system is said to be built to accommodate today's large cows and to attain a higher level of milk quality monitoring.

Grigor also highlighted the “On the Beef Plate for You” informational seminars as a popular feature of the annual show. The New York Beef Producers' Association and Cornell University will team up to present half-hour long sessions on topics ranging from fitting cattle for a show, to the Empire Heifer Development Program to Meat Cuts 101 to feeder calf marketing.

The Silver Bullet tractor, which will be on display in the Dairy Building this year, is the six-time national champion superstock Agco-Allis 8810. The tractor was built replacing injectors with spark plugs to ignite alcohol, according to the show's Web site.

Empire Agri Systems, 400 Grant Ave., has been setting up displays at the show for several years. Employee Paul Brown said the company plans to display items this year including feed bins and calf hatches. The show, he said, is an opportunity to show the thousands of attendees what the company has to offer.

“It works pretty good as far as people seeing it hands on,” Brown said. “It gives them a good idea about the quality.”

If you go

What: New York Farm Show,

featuring more than 400

agribusiness displays

When: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Saturday

Where: New York State Fairgrounds

Cost: $5 for adults and free for

children under 6

For more information: Visit www.newyorkfarmshow.com

Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net.