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Agri-Trade 2020 will happen

Agri-Trade 2020 will happen

Attendees can expect additional precautions in place for the show

 
Staff Writer
Farms.com

In a year with many events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agri-Trade Equipment Expo in Red Deer, Alta. is a go.

After the Government of Alberta released regulations around indoor trade shows, David Fiddler and the event team decided to proceed with the November event.

“We felt our plan, because we've been working on a COVID-19 operational plan, met – or, in some areas, exceeded – (the government’s) requirements for hosting an indoor tradeshow,” Fiddler said. “We feel very strongly that we can provide a safe environment.”

Fiddler is the show manager for Agri-Trade. Attendees can expect a familiar feel for the show, with some addition health and safety measures.

“We’ll have numerous hand sanitization stations. We adjusted the floor plan and continue to adjust it to widen the aisles. We eliminated all the adjacent 10 by 10 booths,” Fiddler told Farms.com. “We will have protocols for the exhibitors about when people touch items in their booth.”

Since the overall event is more of a shopping experience versus attendees listening to speakers, a lot of the show can proceed like normal. The event will continue with an IKEA-type floor plan. Attendees will enter in one location, follow a path to see all the booths, and exit from another location, said Fiddler.

Exhibitors who cannot attend the event in person have the option of attending virtually.

“We're going to provide a hybrid display … where exhibitors can have a screen, speakers and two-way communication with the public. When someone walks into a booth, he or she can either see the products in a virtual fashion, or actually interact with exhibitors, whether it be from their showroom, their manufacturing facility or their office,” Fiddler said.

The event team also reviewed the food services for the event, he said.

“We've adjusted our food service significantly because that's where the most congregation and lineups occur. So, we've added more food outlets and we've spaced out the seating,” he said.

The event staff encourage people to buy tickets online before the show to help with contract tracing. People can still buy tickets upon arrival, they’ll just need to register when they arrive and the price increases by $10/ticket, said Fiddler.

The event staff look forward to the show.

“This virus going anywhere anytime soon. We feel that people have become accustomed to shopping, going out, going to restaurants and working in this environment,” said Fiddler. “If people make sure that they do the right things and we do the right things, we can have an enjoyable shopping experience.”

Photo credit: Agri-Trade Equipment Expo photo


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

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In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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