Your Altus Chamber of Commerce annually sponsors Farm City Week. This is the 31st year for this important program. The purpose of this week is to highlight what agriculture means to our local economy, to inform everyone of the various agriculture crops grown and produced in Jackson County and Southwest Oklahoma, to show the importance of agriculture to our way of life, and last but not least, to show appreciation to all those involved in farming, ranching and other agriculture pursuits. Agriculture is a multi-million dollar facet of our economy. The theme for Farm City Week is "Farming, Flying and Community - the Pillars of Southwest Oklahoma".

Farm City Week activities kick off on Wednesday, Oct. 29 with a Farmers Appreciation Luncheon and Farm Tours. Cost is $10 for the lunch, and businesspeople are encouraged to brinig a farmer to the luncheon. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Altus Community Center, 401 Falcon Road. Approximately 150 people will go on the Farm Tours.

The morning and afternoon farm tours will be held at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The tour buses will travel to the Cotton Growers Coop Gin, Altus Peanut Warehouse and Robbie Robbins Farming operations. Tractor driving will be provided by Western Equipment and Livingston Machinery at the Rodeo grounds.

The Farm City Week Banquet will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 in the Altus High School Cafetorium. Special entertainment will be presented by Mikayla Jo Balderas. The KWHW Radio “Legends of Agriculture” award will be presented at the banquet. Master of Ceremonies will be Maurice King. Tickets are available for $20 per person at the Altus Chamber of Commerce.

This year, Altus Air Force Base’s Colonel David Allvin will host a Farm City Week Orientation Flight. The base is planning a great flight on a C-17 and/or a KC-135. Invitations are in the mail to those farmers, ranchers and business people invited to participate in the flight.

Tickets are available for the luncheon and banquet at the Altus Chamber of Commerce, local banks and various locations. Call the Altus Chamber at 482-0210 to sign up for the tours and orientation flights. Please call the Altus Chamber of Commerce for reservations and to purchase tickets for these fun events.