Editorial: There is nothing better than meeting in-person

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show made a triumphant in-person comeback for the first time since 2019 last month. 

A total of 43,809 visitors came to Discovery Farm Woodstock Sept. 13-15, the home of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS). 

What struck me the most at the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show was the smiles. They were infectious. From attendees, to exhibitors, and staff – it seemed everyone was always smiling, happy to be at the show once again, talking with old friends and colleagues. 

“The show was missed by many,” Doug Wagner, president of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, said in a release. “This was a unique chance for farmers to see equipment in action, right in the field, and have in-person interactions once again.”

He noted that the attendance level exceeded expectations and “demonstrates how important this show is to farmers and the businesses we partner with.”

During the opening ceremony on the evening of Sept. 12, Wagner said the 2019 show saw just over 42,000 guests and a little over 700 exhibitors.

As in previous years, equipment demonstrations were available several times a day, but what was striking this year was the ability for attendees to see innovative developments in action for the first time. The helicopter spraying demonstration drew large crowds, as did the autonomous equipment demonstrations. For most attendees, the show offered them their first up-close glimpse of these machines. 

“We feel the excitement from farmers when they find something new. They get the opportunity to hear from experts right in the field and bring that innovation back to their own operation,” said Wagner. “We waited a long time to get back in-person again and are very pleased to see the level of enthusiasm from visitors and exhibitors alike.”

Discovery Farm Woodstock now encompasses more than 100 acres. Until earlier this year, Glacier Farmmedia, owner of COFS and publisher of Farmtario, had leased the Discovery Farm Woodstock land from the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario for the purpose of operating COFS. Glacier Farmmedia purchased the land in March, giving the show a permanent home site and paves the way for future growth.

[FROM THE GROUNDS AT COFS] Is the 100-bushel-per-acre mark in soybeans possible?

Although visitors would have noticed many similarities in the set-up to previous editions, what I enjoyed was the opportunity for more face-to-face interactions, as well as the focus on innovations and making them more relevant and accessible to farmers. 

The night before the show started, the Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show Innovation Award winners were announced. The awards were presented by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and winning and nominee companies were given exhibit space in OMAFRA’s innovation building on the show site, allowing entrepreneurs to interact with farmers. 

The Agtech breakfast on the morning of Sept. 14 was another opportunity for innovators to mingle with farmers. This is important, because innovations aren’t just coming from those work or study agriculture anymore. Recently, many innovators are engineers or scientists with no agriculture training at all, but have an idea that they think could help make agriculture more productive, sustainable, or profitable. But what translates well on paper may not work in the field, so it’s important that farmers be willing to ask questions and participate in these types of discussions. 

Why agriculture matters

Of course, one of the best things about COFS is seeing the agricultural community come together and celebrate its importance. 

Our readers know that here at Farmtario, we like to make your reading experience the best it can be. One way we do that is including a “Why it Matters” summary for our articles, to make your reading experience more efficient.

At our booth at COFS, we asked you to tell us why agriculture matters to you, and here are some of the responses we received: 

• “Because there wouldn’t be a world without it.” 
• “You need farms to eat!”
• “Agriculture is family and life.” 
• “We’re responsible for our environment’s future.” 
• “To provide a sustainable future for our kids.”