I am pleased to welcome everyone to the 2019 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. With the first 25 amazing years behind us, the show and Glacier FarmMedia teams are looking forward to the next 25 years with much anticipation.
There are many reasons to come to this year’s show and I would like to highlight just a few.
The Next Evolution of Farming
A new era in farming has arrived – autonomous agriculture. A leader in this category is Dot Technology Corp. Based in Saskatchewan, Dot has created an autonomous power unit with the ability to complete numerous on-farm tasks, leaving more time for farmers to work on other parts of their operation.
The global launch of the Dot Power Platform technology was held at Ag in Motion™, the sister show to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, in July 2017. The live demonstration at Ag in Motion was the first time farmers were able to see Dot and watch a live demonstration. The launch was extremely well-received by farmers and media. Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is extremely pleased to host the Ontario launch of this technology at this year’s show.
Soils at Guelph
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association will be hosting the new Soils at Guelph initiative in their tent. To be introduced at the Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, September 10. Soils at Guelph is a new initiative focusing on improving the health of Ontario’s soil resource.
Roller Crimper Demo
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is delighted that the Ontario Agriculture College and Grain Farmers of Ontario are sponsoring the new Roller Crimper Demo in collaboration with the Ontario Soil Network, Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario and the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Attendees will be able see an innovative method to terminate cover crops prior to planting, and will have the opportunity to meet leaders from Ontario’s soil-based organizations as well as soil-focused specialists with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Be sure to make this field demo a stop in the Southwest Demo Field daily at 11:00 a.m.
HSBC Bank Canada
We are pleased to welcome HSBC to Canadaʼs Outdoor Farm Show. HSBC aims to help Canadian farmers and Canadian agribusinesses to grow and expand to other international markets, and is sponsoring a new international initiative. Stay tuned for details.
Innovation Showcase
This is the second year Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is offering this program to exhibitors. The showcase is open to all services and products including equipment, livestock, crops and agri-business. The showcase is a great way for those attending the show to seek out the newest innovations.
Property Updates
Glacier FarmMedia, our parent company, is extremely pleased to have acquired the property immediately north of the show site. This ensures the longevity of the show in Woodstock and will allow us to explore new initiatives throughout the spring, summer and fall.
An expansion in the trade show area has created more exhibit space and improved traffic flow at the south end of the show site. With cooperation from the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), we were able to establish a new east-west street called the Southeast Mall that extends from the Woodlot Expo on the west to John Deere on the east. Along with some new exhibit areas, the mall is providing OSCIA with much more frontage to display projects.
Here are some additional highlights to watch out for at this year’s show.
- The Field Demonstration Advisory Committee has organized the Tillage of Cover Crops Demonstration and the Fertilizer Spreader Demonstration.
- The Woodlot Expo always offers opportunities to learn more about managing woodlots.
- If you want a solution to flat tires on skid steers, come see the Michelin Airless Tire Demo.
- The Britespan Dairy Innovation Centre showcases new ideas as the dairy industry continues to move towards automation.
- We welcome Winfield Solutions and DLF Pickseed back to the show to join the 10 other companies doing seed and crop plot demonstrations.
- FCC Livestock Central will be hosting the Sheep Handling Demo, featuring body condition scoring.
This is a short list of the many exciting things you will read about in this Official Show Guide.
I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate Ag in Motion in Saskatchewan on holding a successful fifth show this past July.
The entire team at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, and the many Glacier FarmMedia team members from across Canada, look forward to seeing you September 10, 11 & 12 in Woodstock, Ontario.
Doug Wagner
President
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show