Ag Companies Embrace New Approach For Canada’s Digital Farm Show

Aug 24, 2020 - 5 years ago

Canada's Outdoor Farm Show 2020

A 27-year track record of connecting farmers and agribusiness is bringing long-standing and new exhibitors to Canada’s Digital Farm Show.

Canada’s Digital Farm Show, which takes place September 15 – 18, is a digital-only edition of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, held annually since 1994. Activities at the show site near Woodstock, ON will be streamed online to farmers via home computers, tablets, and Android and iOS devices. Farmers participate for free.

“We had a very clear mandate in creating Canada’s Digital Farm Show for 2020,” explains Owen Smelski, the show’s Exhibits and Demonstration Manager. “This event reflects the same values and purpose of connecting farmers and companies in agriculture.”

During the four days of Canada’s Digital Farm Show, a powerful, interactive platform will match farmers to the activities most relevant to them, and enable instant one-on -one conversations between farmers and exhibitors. Plot tours and equipment demonstrations – always among the most popular show events – will give farmers a between-the-rows, from-the-tractor-seat visual experience they haven’t had before.

Smelski notes that the digital-only format is drawing interest from farmers and exhibitors well outside the show’s traditional visitor radius. “We can now welcome farmers from Eastern Ontario, Quebec and even Michigan and New York State,” he says. “The same goes for exhibitors.”

Canada’s Digital Farm Show corporate partners or exhibitors for 2020 include Kubota Canada, John Deere and BKT Tires. Producer association partners include Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, and more.

Soybean seed and plant breeding company Sevita International signed on as a show exhibitor to connect with growers in a year when that’s been challenging.

“This is an event-based industry, running right through the summer and into early-fall,” says Sevita International Business Manager, Sandy Hart. “A farm show normally focuses on the seed marketing, distribution and agronomy side of things. We see this an opportunity to get across more of what Sevita is about, as opposed to just our soybean varieties. We’re Canadian-owned, we invest very heavily in the markets that support us and we think that resonates with producers.”

Sevita International operates IP processing and seed plant facilities in Woodstock. Hart himself went to school just down the road from the show site. For this company, Canada’s Digital Farm Show offers a hometown feel and a comfortable setting to make themselves known to a wider audience.

“Because we are very close by, we’ll be able to share a little more about our company story and structure,” says Hart. “We can introduce some more of our team than you might normally see standing there in the plots.”

While 2020 has brought many challenges for farmers and agribusiness companies, the need to connect the two is as strong as ever. Canada’s Digital Farm Show will do this in an interactive, engaging and effective way.