Mother Nature was much more cooperative for the second annual AgroExpo on Aug. 15-16 than the inaugural event that was hampered by torrential rains last year. It wasn’t just the weather that was different; the steering committee moved the event to a different area but still within AgroLiquid’s northern St. Johns research area. “Our new location is on higher ground with lighter soil, which allows us to highlight field plots and provide many in-field demonstrations,” says Ashley Davis, AgroExpo show coordinator.

More than 2,000 people attended the event, which seeks to connect, discover and innovate with growers through educational sessions, exhibitors and demonstrations.

“We were able to condense the show to one area,” Davis says. “From tillage to harvester demonstrations, speakers, equipment dealers, seed plots — it was all here in one location. We are very happy with how the show was designed.”

Tim Schaub, representing Rupp Seed, says, “This year’s event was a 200% improvement over last year — the weather, location and plots.”

With 120 exhibitors showcasing and demonstrating the latest products and services available in agriculture, there were many opportunities for attendees to ask questions and investigate how they might be incorporated on their own operations.

Each of the mornings featured tillage demonstrations, while the afternoons showcased self-propelled forage harvester demonstrations.

Eric Walker, a Sisco representative, says, “This is one of the most organized farm shows I've ever participated in.”

Albert Bancroft, AgroLiquid senior market manager, says his company is happy to host this event on its 1,000-acre crop nutrient research farm. “We know farmers are faced with a lot of management decisions; an excellent fertilizer program alone isn’t going to ensure a good year. It takes seed, crop protection, equipment — so many management decisions that are vital to a farming operation. That’s why we think it’s important to invite all of those companies, all of those components, to gather at the AgroExpo. That way farmers can see what we have to offer, all in one place, and make good management decisions for their operation.”

With this year’s Aug. 15-16 AgroExpo now in the books, planning has already started to make next year’s event even better. If you go to the AgroExpo website, a digital clock shows the days, hours, minutes and even seconds until next year’s Aug. 14-15 event.

“Everybody loved the new location, so at this point, we know that we’re staying at the same location,” Davis says.

Check out the slideshow for scenes from the show.