In both good times and difficult times, farmers from the Carolinas and Virginia have turned to the Southern Farm Show over the years as a trusted partner to help them succeed in producing the crops and livestock that feed the world.

Southern Farm show manager David Zimmerman, marking his 40^th year in 2025 managing one of the South’s largest farm shows, said the Southern Farm Show is needed most in difficult times.

“Every farmer in the country uses the winter months to think about what changes they need to make for the upcoming growing season.  That is especially true when they come off a tough year like the one they just had.  This is why the Southern Farm Show is held at the beginning of February.  It’s designed to help farmers answer those questions, and make good decisions.,” Zimmerman said.

The Southern Farm Show is set for Feb. 5 through Feb. 7 at the NC 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.

The Southern Farm Show is the most well-attended farm show in the Carolinas and Virginia s 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.

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All seven buildings on the state fairgrounds are used plus additional heated temporary structures and outdoor exhibits. Farmers 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.

The Southern Farm Show is also 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 is a focus each year with numerous seminars and meetings held each day to help farmers improve their bottom line. Zimmerman said the greatest value is the opportunity for farmers to network with other farmers, suppliers and agricultural professionals.

Getting started

The show starts with the annual Kickoff Breakfast, set for 7:15 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the James Hunt Horse Complex. Featured speaker will be Ray Starling, general counsel and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute, who will discuss the new NC Ag Leads strategic planning initiative to strengthen North Carolina’s position as a leader for agriculture and agribusiness.

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This new planning initiative is a collaborative effort between the Golden LEAF Foundation and the NC Chamber Foundation, with support from NC Farm Bureau and Google.  It is overseen by a steering committee that includes Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler in addition to representatives of Golden LEAF, NC Farm Bureau and the NC Chamber.

The North Carolina Growers Association will again hold their annual meeting at the Southern Farm Show.  This year’s meeting, which is open to their 750 farmer members, will take place at 1 p.m. on Feb. 5 in the Holshouser Building. NC Growers Deputy Director Lee Wicker says the meeting will review the 2024 season and provide members with a look ahead to 2025.

Another highlight will be the Ag Development Forum set for 9:30 a.m. Feb. 6 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.

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Breakfast

Breakfast with the Commissioner, held each year to benefit the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly, will be held on Feb. 7 at 7:30 am in the Holshouser Building. The breakfast has recognized many prominent ag industry leaders over the years, with this year’s honor going to Parker Phillips, whose career of 49 years has focused on agri-business commerce related to the marketing of farm chemicals.

For the past 24 seasons, Phillips has been employed by Fair Products, which manufactures premium tobacco sucker control chemicals and is based in Cary, N.C. Throughout his career, Phillips has been involved in the agricultural community and has received numerous awards and recognitions.

For details and tickets on the breakfast, contact the Tobacco Farm Life Museum at 919-824-3131 or visit their website.

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. Feb. 7 at the Holshouser Building. An economic and policy update will be presented, and the meeting concludes with a catered lunch.

The show concludes with the popular Southern National Draft Horse Pull and Coon Mule Jump at the James Hunt Horse Arena beginning at 6 p.m. Feb. 7. 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.