The world of agricultural trade shows is changing and the Western Canada Farm Progress Show refuses to be left behind.
Show organizers engaged German trade show consultant Tobias Eichberg last year to review the event and recommend ways to keep it relevant.
The first change was unveiled this year: a new way to honour innovations and inventions.
Next year will feature what show chair Larry Gregga calls an epicentre for international visitors, experts, scientists and financiers and others to network and make deals.
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“Our goal here is to augment what we have at this event already,” said show manager Rob O’Connor.
He said the new feature will provide the atmosphere and location for networking.
Eichberg said some agricultural trade shows won’t survive the changing trends. The focus is now on international business, and only the trade shows that do that will survive.
Gregga said exhibitors were happy this year. Despite heavy rain on the third and final day, attendance was 43,012, which is in line with the years prior to last year’s record of 45,827.
International guests numbered about 600. Surveys have found that the economic result of each international guest is about $2.5 million.
This year, a delegation from the Indian government made its first visit on behalf of that country’s farmers. Many potential customers, such as those from the former Soviet Union, focused on large-scale equipment, but O’Connor said the Indian delegation concentrated on tractors in the 45 horsepower range.
“They don’t have the land ownership base,” he said. “Their needs are different, but they still came here to search out our technology.”
The show wants to be the premier show for dryland technology and innovation. The new innovation awards program now requires entries to meet benchmarks to receive Sterling and Gold levels. Ten entries met the sterling standard and two met the gold level.
