The Guinness world’s record for a parade of classic tractors is now 964 tractors/drivers thanks to a determined group of tractor owners at the Nebraska State Fair.  The parade took place around the Fonner Park Racetrack after a morning thunderstorm as part of the opening weekend of events at the fair organized and sponsored by RFD-TV/RURAL TV.

In order to qualify, each tractor provided the VIN/Serial number and was at least 30 years old.  Over 1,000 tractors/drivers participated in RFD-TV and RURAL TV’s parade.  A representative from Guinness certified that 964 classic tractors met all of the requirements and drove continuously around the track for a minimum of two miles.  The previous record was 745 held by Elbach, Germany.

“I have never felt more pride in the history of RFD-TV,” said Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of Rural Media Group, Inc. “The perseverance by our staff and these tractor enthusiasts through the mud was a sight to behold in itself, as they were not going to be denied the chance to break the Guinness record.  Seeing over 1,000 classic tractors moving at one time was a real crowd pleaser.”

A capacity grandstand was filled with over 10,000 viewers in-and-around the Fonner Park track who witnessed this unprecedented display of machinery of the past.  At least 31 states were represented, with 730 entries coming from Nebraska and the rest traveling great distances including some entries coming from as far away as New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Michigan, and Arizona. 

With additional storm clouds gathering above Grand Island, NE, the rescheduling of the parade was put to a voice vote at an 11am driver meeting.  It was unanimously decided that the parade was to continue as scheduled at 1pm when every driver threw their hand in the air and shouted “Today!”

The parade was broadcast “live” on RFD-TV and RURAL TV hosted by veteran farm broadcaster and tractor enthusiast Max Armstrong, along with KRVN’s Joe Greenwich.

This press release is presented without editing for your information. GRIT does not recommend, approve or endorse the products and/or services offered. You should use your own judgment and evaluate products and services carefully before deciding to purchase. 

RFD-TV announces the return of American Dairy, the popular show produced from Fort Worth, Texas will begin airing Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. (EST) and repeats on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. (EST).

The American Dairy is the first program dedicated solely to telling the story of America’s dairy farmers, the dairy industry and the journey of milk, from farm to fridge.  The producers of the program work with dairy producers from across the country to share stories and educate America on the importance of dairy.

The United States is home to over 60,000 dairy farm families producing almost 177 billion pounds of milk annually.1 The American Dairy show features small farms and families that have been in the dairy business for generations and new dairy facilities that are utilizing modernized milking techniques.

With less than 2 percent of the U.S. population involved in farming today, many people don’t have the opportunity to visit a dairy farm and most are three to four generations removed from the farm. “American Dairy’s goal is to bridge the communication gap and sort the fact from fiction,” said Joe Lichtie, president of Superior Productions. “The industry is more than just milk and viewers will see hard-working producers bringing wholesome dairy products to the table.” The American Dairy will cover topics from consumer nutrition to the environment and technology.

Source: Dairy Management Inc., National Milk Producers Federation, California Milk Advisory Board, Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence.

This press release is presented without editing for your information. GRIT does not recommend, approve or endorse the products and/or services offered. You should use your own judgment and evaluate products and services carefully before deciding to purchase.