Dairy farmers have given the thumbs up to the Canadian Dairy XPO’s move to an early April slot on the calendar.
The Stratford-based dairy showcase, which for 2016 moved from it’s traditional February dates to April 6 and 7, attracted 14,900 visitors over two days, on par with 2015. CDX attendee surveys indicated that 74% of Canadian, US and international visitors attending the show prefer the first week of April, which CDX has now committed to for the next five years.
Brussels, Ontario dairy farmer Joe Terpstra participated in a dairy robot producer panel at CDX. He says the move to April is a good fit for him. “We’ve attended the XPO each year now. The XPO is a place where our dairy families can see the latest in innovation, educate ourselves with the newest tools available and connect with our fellow producers and industry – before we get busy in the fields,” says Terpstra. He adds that April is a much safer time to travel for everyone attending the show.
CDX was also pleased with success of its ‘Blue Cow Spirit’ campaign, a strategic partnership between CDX and Dairy Farmers of Canada to show pride in the Canadian dairy industry. Many producers took the opportunity to purchase Blue Cow apparel at CDX and wear it proudly as they toured the show.
The 2016 CDX also featured the grand opening of the new WeCover Cow Coliseum. Farmers visiting the new structure discovered a hub of innovation that included global companies such as Israel’s Afimilk; ADF from the UK; and SAC from the Netherlands. All three exhibited at the show for the first time. The coliseum hosted Lely, BouMatic, GEA and DeLaval, four of the leading milking robotic manufacturers as well as cattle and genetic displays.
CDX also released findings from their attendance survey:
- 95% of attendees are active dairy producers, with 46% under the age of 35
- 95% of producers reported attending CDX for one day
- 28% of producers have attended CDX all four years, 28% attended in 2016 for the first time
- 57% of producers polled reported they are in an expansion phase; 43% are in a succession phase; and 0% are selling
Click here for full coverage of Canadian Dairy XPO 2016.
