Agri-Trade Equipment Expo in Red Deer gave farmers an opportunity to see the latest in agricultural technology
As many as 33,000 people from up to 16 countries figuratively kicked the tires as they checked out the latest advances in farming technology at the 39th annual Agri-Trade Equipment Expo.
“The mood we’re seeing at the show, and the outlook we’re seeing in the ag industry in general, is very positive,” said Krissy Fiddler, operations manager for the three-day event in Red Deer. “They’re thankful for the harvest, but the outlook for the future of the agricultural industry as a whole is what we’re celebrating.”
Attendees from countries ranging from the United States and Nigeria to Australia, Switzerland and Argentina took in more than 475 exhibitors at Westerner Park from Nov. 8 to 10, said Fiddler. Companies were scattered across more than 30,000 sq. metres of indoor space, with exhibitors also housed in temporary facilities, such as tents totalling about 10,000 sq. metres, she said.
Products ranged from massive combines that were climbed on by everyone, from eager children to adults, to data-gathering platforms and crop-spraying drones.
“We’ve had some amazing weather that’s playing a great part in the show this year, so we’re expecting anywhere between 32,000 to 33,000 people,” said Fiddler.
One highlight of this year’s expo was the Ag Innovations Awards Competition. It saw finalists make their pitches Nov. 9 to a panel of three judges, along with an audience of more than 150 farmers who voted via their smartphones on whether each company solved an urgent or significant challenge faced by producers.
The Farmers Choice Award of $5,000 went to Ground Truth Ag. The Saskatchewan start-up company has created devices that aim to use technologies such as cameras, artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve how grain is graded.
The grand prize of $20,000 was awarded to Spider Hitch Inc. The Alberta company makes a device that allows one person to safely and quickly attach equipment ranging from ammonia tanks to combine header trailers.
The timing of Agri-Trade following harvest gives producers the chance to meet up with friends and relatives and to talk to specialists across a wide range of equipment and technologies, said Fiddler.
An impact study found that about $300 million in equipment and service sales occurred at Agri-Trade in 2017, along with about $65 million in economic spinoffs in Red Deer such as hotels and restaurants, said Fiddler.
This year’s Agri-Trade marked the full return of the event following the economic turmoil and supply chain disruptions sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. The show was cancelled in 2020.
Although attendance wasn’t as strong as earlier years, the return of the expo in 2021 brought a sense of renewed optimism that grew in 2022, said Fiddler.
“But you can absolutely tell that this year, 2023, we’re back full force and we’re seeing what Agri-Trade is expected (to be) with exhibitors and attendees.”
Fiddler said another of this year’s highlights was the return of the German Pavilion, which included Cemo, a company that makes products such as high-quality plastic storage tanks for industries ranging from agriculture to construction, said Daniel Bubeck, senior area sales manager for Canada and the U.S.
Bubeck found Agri-Trade to be “overwhelming… there is a quantity, but also quality in people visiting us asking for the product.”
Visit The Western Producer’s website for our video about Agri-Trade.
