WHERE AGRICULTURE MEETS INNOVATION. THE SHOWS MUST GO ON!

TOM JUNGE, Expo Director [tomj@ineda.com]

Even though the Iowa Ag Expo and Nebraska Ag Expo have had a long history of growth, positive feedback from exhibitors and increased revenue for the Iowa Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA), there are always concerns as to their long term continued success. We hear how the younger generation of farmers don’t attend farm shows, farmers are utilizing the internet to research products, and manufacturers are reducing the number of farm shows that they attend. We also have the unknowns of uncontrollable occurrences such as weather or even a pandemic that could threaten the future of the Expos.

The adage of “The Show Must Go On!” couldn’t be truer. INEDA understands these trends and threats and has been proactive in various ways.

Nearly 20 years ago, it was determined that smaller local farm shows were more likely to die than larger regional shows. To avoid being one of these shows, proactive efforts were made to grow the Expos as facilities became available. The Iowa Ag Expo expanded when Hy-Vee Hall and Wells Fargo Arena were added to the Iowa Events Center. The Nebraska Ag Expo expanded when Pavilion 3 and 4 were added to Sandhills Global Event Center. The Nebraska and Iowa Ag Expos are now the 2nd and 3rd largest indoor farm shows in the U.S. Smaller shows in Dekalb, Il and Indianapolis, IN are gone. Three other Midwest farm shows and another in Canada are currently in their death spiral.

These shows were struggling but COVID-19 played a role in their further decline. INEDA determined that

the shows must go on during COVID-19. The risk of losing exhibitors for future years was too high to ignore. Fortunately, Iowa and Nebraska were held in pro-business states during that period. It took a lot of extra planning on the “what ifs”. It even took postponing the Nebraska Ag Expo from December to February, but the Expos stayed open for business.

Although Mother Nature can shorten the length of a shows, the Iowa and Nebraska Ag Expos remain a 3-day show. Although, the number of farmers in each state would suggest going to a 2-day show, the risk is too great. Historically, 22% of the attendees come on the last day of the show but in Iowa it has been as high as 40% and in 2016, 57%. The Nebraska Ag Expo started as a 2-day show but weather impacted attendance 2 of the first 3 years. It is now a 3-day show.

To keep the Expos fresh and to continue to attract young farmers, Innovation Hubs were introduced to both Expos to showcase the latest technology in agriculture. No other farm show has been as aggressive as INEDA in seeking out this technology. In addition to prospecting local farm shows, Expo staff are attending ag start-up events such as Midwest Invest, Gener8tor, Ag Venture Alliance annual meeting, World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit and Canada’s AgTech Accelerator pitch competition. These efforts resulted in the growth of the Innovation Hub in Nebraska from 37 companies to 63 in 2023. In its first year in Iowa, the Innovation Hub had 47 companies. This initiative is key to being relevant to the future generation of farmers.

Exhibitor turnover is a normal occurrence even in the best of times. We know there will be companies deciding not to exhibit for one reason or another. To overcome this, INEDA has been proactive in recruiting new companies and is the most aggressive of any farm show. Prospecting trips now include three shows in Canada and two in California. New shows or start-up events are being added each year. Companies now recognize the faces of our staff as representatives of the Iowa and Nebraska Ag Expos. This effort has resulted in an extensive wait list at each Expo.

And INEDA isn’t stopping with these efforts! In the next year or so, focus groups and surveys with farmers will be conducted to determine what drives them to come to farm shows. This insight will assist the efforts in keeping the Expo’s relevant for future years.

“The Show Must Go On” is a timeless adage––however it is vital that our Expos are proactive in identifying threats and creating new opportunities. As we continue to attract attendees and exhibitors to sustain our future business operations, our members directly benefit from the Expos’ income by providing the funding necessary to operate, which in turn, allows us to provide services to our members! 