Trade Show Illustrates Health Of US Ag Industry

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) -- More than 600 companies have tents and booths at the annual Farm Progresstrade show in Illinois, but it's the list of companies that didn't get in that gives you an idea about the country's healthy farm economy.

Show manager Matt Jungman (YUHNG'-man) says he turned away about 40 companies for lack of space, including hot tub makers and an exotic car company.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said this week that it expects farm incomes to increase by more than 30 percent this year, helped by high corn and soybean prices.

But farmers say they learned hard lessons in the 1980s farm collapse and aren't taking the good times for granted. They're paying down debt and growing in a manageable way.