Owner of Agritechnica bring a bit of German flavour to Canadian Dairy Xpo.
A new owner of the Canadian Dairy Xpo and the German government meant there was a German feel to the popular dairy trade show held April 2 and 3 in Stratford.
A large German display highlighted the country’s agriculture technology and could give some ideas to Canadian companies as they promote Canada to markets outside of the United States.
The display was funded by the German ministry of food and agriculture, says Robin Witle, project manager for Inter Expo Consult, at the Canadian Dairy Xpo.
“For the German companies this makes it easier to step into new markets,” he said. The German government helps defray costs for German companies, such as Budissa Bag, Hairtex, Kaeser Compressors, Silo King and Urban. EuroTier, the large livestock trade show, based in Hamburg, Germany, was also in the booth. EuroTier is one of 25 trade shows operated worldwide by DLG, a non-profit organization serving German farmers, and the organization that now owns the Canadian Dairy Xpo (CDX). They also operate Agritechnica, the giant equipment and crop production trade show also hosted in opposite years to EuroTier in Hamburg.
She says there will be even more Canadian displays at Agritechnica this fall than in previous years.
Jens Kremer, managing director for DLG Markets describes DLG as an international network of 5,000 experts and 30,000 farmers it reaches on numerous platforms and aims to be the knowledge hub for farming.
Beyond trade shows, it also hosts peer groups for farmers in some agriculture sectors.
“In the DNA of DLG, since the beginning, in 1985 it was written that we are standing for progress in farming,” he said in an interview at the Dairy Business Summit held the day before CDX.
That meant creating or purchasing events across the globe including Turkey, south Asia, a new Agritechnica spin-off event in Australia and now in North America.
Their first purchase in North America, announced in September, was the Canadian Dairy Xpo and Underhill Enterprises Inc. the event organization company founded and run by Jordon Underhill, who continues to work for DLG.
“We like that idea that it’s not just a professional event organizer, but somebody who knows really what farmers are looking for, what they need, content wise, technology wise,” says Schmidt-Machinek.
Kremer says DLG has been looking at the North American market for about 10 years, but they wanted to find the right place to step into it.
A subsidiary in North America should help DLG better understand farmers’ needs here, says Schmidt-Machinek
There are already a lot of farm shows in Canada and the United States, says Kremer.
“What I can say is there is no 85th Farm Show needed in Ontario, or in the U.S., but maybe there are new formats which are needed here, with new kinds of conversations or information gathering,” he says.
Schmidt-Machinek says there are no immediate plans to change the successful CDX, which pulled in more big crowds this year. Still, there was a subtle German flavour one couldn’t miss, with more DLG branding and the sounds of a band playing traditional German polka music at the popular industry networking event during CDX, which this year was marketed as a German Cheesefest.
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