Farmers across the Carolinas and Virginia know that the Southern Farm Show in Raleigh is the place to be Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2024, to keep up with the latest advances in agriculture. 

“From precision agriculture to the latest advancements in microbial soil amendments, the show is keeping up with advancements in agriculture.  Many of the show’s new exhibitors will be helping farmers understand how these new technologies can help improve productivity,” says show manager David Zimmerman. 

The Southern Farm Show is set for Wednesday, January 31 to Friday, February 2 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. Admission and parking are free. 

Helping farmers increase their productivity has been the goal of every Southern Farm Show, since the very first one held at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh in 1978. But as precision agriculture becomes more prominent on farms across the region, companies in the precision agriculture field have turned to the Southern Farm Show to reach and educate farmers. 

The 2024 Southern Farm Show has 10 precision agriculture companies exhibiting, three of them exhibiting for the first time. The companies are involved in everything from precision planting to precision spraying to digital agriculture to drones. 

The Southern Farm Show is the largest and most well-attended farm show in the Carolinas and exhibitors with more than 400 manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting. It is also the second largest event held each year at the state fairgrounds, second only to the N.C. State Fair, and draws a crowd of more than 30,000 each year. 

All seven buildings on the state fairgrounds are used plus additional heated temporary structures and outdoor exhibits. Farmers and others who want to see the latest and greatest display of farm equipment know that the Southern Farm Show is the place to go with the largest annual display of farm equipment and supplies to be found in the Carolinas and Virginia. 

In addition, the Southern Farm Show is the largest annual display of landscape, land clearing, and outdoor power equipment in the region, and it is the largest annual display of construction equipment in the three-state area. 

Continuing education remains a key goal of the Southern Farm Show with a number of educational sessions offered all three days of the show. For a list of continuing education offerings and other show highlights, click here. 

North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Garey Fox will be the guest speaker at the Southern Farm Show kickoff breakfast. Dean Fox will speak about his vision for not only the university’s agricultural education, but also for North Carolina agriculture.  The event is sponsored and organized by the Wake County Partners in Agriculture.  It will take place at 7:30am on Wednesday, January 31 in the restaurant of the James B Hunt Horse Complex. 

A highlight of the Southern Farm Show will be the Ag Development Forum set for 9:30 a.m., Thursday, February 1 at the Holshouser Building. The forum is sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and features Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler’s annual “State of North Carolina Agriculture” address.  

Invited speakers will focus on the latest trends in North Carolina agriculture and an economic outlook will be presented. The forum concludes with a sponsored lunch and is open to all attendees of the Southern Farm Show. 

Another popular annual event is Breakfast with the Commissioner which benefits the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly and recognizes an outstanding leader in North Carolina agriculture. The Excellence in Ag Award has honored many prominent ag leaders over the years, with the 2024 honor going to North Carolina farmer Danny Kornegay. 

This year’s breakfast will be held on Friday, February 2 at 7:30 am in the Holshouser Building.  For details and tickets on the breakfast, contact the Tobacco Farm Life Museum at 919-824-3131, or visit their website at www.TobaccoFarmLifeMuseum.org.

The North Carolina Growers Association (NC Growers) will again hold their annual meeting at the Southern Farm Show.  The meeting, which is open to their 750 farmer members, will take place at 1:00 pm on Wednesday January 31 in the Holshouser Building.    

The Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina will once again host its annual meeting at the Southern Farm Show. The meeting is set for 10 a.m., Friday, February 2 at the Holshouser Building. An economic and policy update will be presented, and the meeting concludes with a catered lunch. 

NC Crop Improvement Association (NCCIA) will hold their annual meeting at the Southern Farm Show for the second time this year.  The NCCIA is a non-profit educational and service organization recognized as the official agency for seed certification in North Carolina. The meeting, open to NCCIA members and others involved in seed production, will be on Friday February 2 in the James Martin Building.  It will start with breakfast followed by the 8:30AM meeting. 

The Southern Farm Show concludes with the always popular Southern National Draft Horse Pull and Coon Mule Jump at the James Hunt Horse Arena. Advance tickets are available in the Graham Building at the Southern Farm Show. 

For more information on the Southern Farm Show, call (800) 849-0248 or visit the show website at www.SouthernFarmShow.com.