As soon as the doors opened Wednesday morning, crowds flooded into Exhibition Park for the 2017 Agriculture Expo and North American Seed Fair.
The three-day show is expected to bring in over 20,000 consumers. Exhibition Park said the convention is one of the last in the Ag Expo circuit season, but it’s the largest in Alberta south of Red Deer.
Over 350 indoor exhibitors from across North America come to Lethbridge specifically for this show.
Organizers said that’s not only good for the agriculture industry, but also for the local economy.
“They are buying, spending on gas, restaurants, clothing, come to shop, stay over night in hotels,” Doug Kryzanowski with Exhibition Park said. “Over the year, our events bring in over $80 million to this economy in southern Alberta.”
“Our shows are for the people.”
Outside sits “Machinery Row” with of 150,000 square feet of space to show off all types of machinery.
Experts say agriculture in southern Alberta has seen growth over the past decade and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.
“The growth over the last 10 years has been about 40 per cent growth in farm receipts for farmers,” Wietse Jagersma, manager with Farm Credit Canada, said.
“Agriculture has been strong and stable.”
Kryzanowski said even if you aren’t in the industry, there’s is something for everyone to see at the expo.
It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
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