The Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) show management has announced that they plan to double the size of the show for 2014, after the widespread success of the inaugural CDX this past February.With the support and cooperation from the mayor of Stratford and key city officials, the 2014 CDX will now take on the entire Stratford Rotary Complex, including both hockey rinks. A potential expansion to the popular "Cow Coliseum" building is also being discussed.
The progressive mayor of Stratford, Dan Mathieson called the agriculture industry in Perth County "vibrant" and a "major contributor" to overall economic stimulation. He suggested the inaugural CDX proved it has the ability to draw visitors from across the county, the province and Canada-wide.
"We as a city need to react to over 11,000 dairy producers coming each February," he said. "The Canadian Dairy XPO presents a great opportunity for the City of Stratford and Perth County, from both a tourism and economic development standpoint."
CDX founder and general manager Jordon Underhill says the XPO is strategically positioned in Perth County, because it is one of the most concentrated dairy production regions in Canada.
The county is home to the highest number of dairy operations in Ontario, followed closely by surrounding Oxford and Waterloo counties. Total agricultural cash receipts in Perth County exceed $550 million, with dairy cash receipts leading the way at over $150 million.
"We were optimistic that the dairy industry would rally and take over Stratford for the inaugural XPO, and they did," says Underhill. "Now through cooperation with the city and full site control of the Stratford Rotary Complex, we can effectively produce an event the Canadian dairy industry needs and deserves."
With their recent expansion announcement to 6 large halls, the Canadian Dairy XPO is set to become the largest dairy event in Canada and second largest in North America - after the World Dairy Expo, held annually in Madison, Wisconsin.
Underhill says that the expanded 2014 show will create opportunities for growth, as well as individually themed halls that will bring together related industry groups and make navigating the entire show more efficient for dairy producers.
In planning for next year's show, CDX management and their Steering Committee are proactively working through solutions for more parking, food, cows and leading edge innovation.
One of the newly-added hockey rink surfaces is currently slated to host the "TMR Superstore," an area where attending dairy producers will be able to view and compare every available TMR mixer brand and model to determine which machine best suits their individual operation.
Herman DeBoer, business development manager for Jaylor Fabricating Inc. - an original CDX founding partner and leading Canadian manufacturer of TMR mixers says the company is highly supportive of the TMR Superstore concept.
"Sales generation from the inaugural Canadian Dairy XPO was staggering," he says. "The TMR Superstore will help producers effectively compare features of various TMR mixer brands on the spot, thus advancing the sales cycle for both the producer and dealer rep."
Other changes in the works are moving the one day "Dairy Classroom" program to run both days, from 10:00am to 1:00pm daily. The second hockey rink will have a hay and forage equipment focus with a quality hay competition, open to both seed companies and individual producers. Organizers suggested that this was the year to theme and build synergies within halls, before the event becomes more established. Underhill concludes, "The new halls and theming will cause some shuffling of 2013 exhibitors, but keeping the dairy producer top of mind is the right decision for the future of CDX."
Dates for the 2014 Canadian Dairy XPO are Wednesday February 5th and Thursday February 6th 2014, held at the Stratford Rotary Complex, in Stratford Ontario.
For more information about the Canadian Dairy XPO, please visit dairyxpo.ca. For media inquiries, contact Donna Powell, CDX Media Relations/Marketing Manager at: donna@roievents.ca, or call 1-226-381-0282 ext. 2.
7.15.2013