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OF THE ACTION TONIGHT. HEY, GLADYS. WE’RE HERE AT THE RODEO AT THE HALLMARK FARM, AND I’M HERE WITH BANJO AND NALI, AND WE TALKED TO SOME STAFF EARLIER TODAY, AND THEY SAID THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECORD BREAKING WEEKEND FOR THE RODEO, WELCOMING PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR FOR THE EVENT AND IT KEEPS GROWING BIGGER AND BIGGER. THIS YEAR, NEARLY 6000 PEOPLE CAME OUT ON SATURDAY ALONE. MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE, FORCING STAFF TO CLOSE THE GATES AT 730 TO AVOID OVERCROWDING. ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE IS PRESTON BENNETT. HE SAYS HE GREW UP GOING TO RODEOS WITH HIS GRANDFATHER AS A KID. NOW HE’S SHARING THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTH IN HIS CHURCH. HE SAYS THEY BROUGHT A GROUP ALL THE WAY FROM MONTEVALLO. IT’S ALMOST LIKE A CULTURE SHOCK A LITTLE BIT, I THINK, FOR SOME OF THEM. RIGHT. THIS IS PROBABLY THEIR FIRST TIME BEING AROUND, LIKE ACTUAL LIKE COWBOYS AND BULL RIDING AND ALL THIS STUFF. AND SO I THINK FOR THEM IT’S FUN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT’S LIKE, WHOA, THAT’S SURPRISING. OR WHOA, I DIDN’T KNOW THEY DO THIS, YOU KNOW? AND SO YEAH, I THINK IT’S REALLY FUN FOR THEM. STEVE WATTS WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION SAYS ORGANIZERS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGRICULTURE ACROSS THE AREA. PROCEEDS FROM THE RODEO GO TOWARDS GIVING SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS TO STUDY, GROWING THEIR OWN CROPS. THE RODEO SITE WILL SOON BE THE HUB FOR THE AGRICULTURE EXHIBITION CENTER FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN THE BUSINESS. HE SAYS THE CENTER WILL BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES ONCE IT’S COMPLETED, BUT THAT’S A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM NOW. WE HAVE A GOOD ASSOCIATION HERE IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA AND IN OUR COUNTY. WE WORK TOGETHER WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS SUCH AS THE FARMERS FEDERATION, TO MAKE SURE THAT AGRICULTURE IS REMEMBERED. I MEAN, THERE AREN’T THAT MANY FARMERS OUT THERE ANYMORE, AND WE NEED TO PROMOTE THEM AS BEST WE CAN. NOW, STAFF HERE AT THE RODEO TELL US THAT THE WHOLE THING IS THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANCE ON SETTING AGRICULTURE. THEY SAY THAT CENTRAL ALABAMIANS CONSUME 17 TONS OF FOOD EVERY DAY, BUT ONLY 1% OF THE CROPS HERE ARE GROWN WITHIN CENTRAL ALABAMA. SO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PUTTING AN IMPORTANCE ON MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN STUDY AGRICULTURE SO THAT THEY CAN SOURCE THOSE FOODS RIGHT HERE IN THE AREA. FOR NOW, WE AR