DAIRY ST R
March 13, 2021
First Section
March 24 - 25, 2021
Denny Sanford Premier Center Complex • Sioux Falls, SD
Where dairy in the Central Plains comes together
Central Plains Dairy Expo slated for March 24-25 Extensive COVID-19 safety precautions will be in place By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Last March, the 2020 Central Plains Dairy Expo was canceled due to the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The Central Plains Dairy Expo gives producers an opportunity to connect with others in the industry, and to see the latest and greatest technology. This year, however, the Central Plains Dairy Expo will be held March 24-25 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Extensive precautions will be taken to make the expo experience as safe as possible for all who attend. “The health and the safety of expo attendees and exhibitors is our top priority,” said Renee Brod, associate executive director of the Central Plains Dairy Association. “Because of this, we made the tough decision to forgo holding a welcome concert this year.” The Central Plains Dairy Expo will kick off with the Ag Prayer Breakfast, which will be held at 7 a.m. Wednesday, March 24. The doors of the Denny Sanford Premier Center will open at 6:30 a.m. “The rst 300 attendees at the Ag Prayer Breakfast will receive a free hot bag breakfast,” Brod said. “Socially distanced tables will be placed on the oor of the Premier Center. The bleachers will also be opened up for seating during the breakfast.” Jordan Merritt will be performing at the Ag Prayer Breakfast. Merritt is a worship leader and
songwriter currently serving as Creative & Worship Director at Ransom Church in Sioux Falls. In addition to leading worship, Merritt is a songwriter. He cowrote the Newsboys single, “You Hold It All,” and has written songs for multiple projects with artists including Newsboys, Selah, Travis Ryan, and others. On Wednesday, the tradeshow will open its doors to the public at 8:30 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, the tradeshow will open at 8 a.m. and will close at 3 p.m. Some of the enhanced health safety measures include up to 4,000 masks that will be made available by Zoetis. Hand sanitizer stations will be located throughout the venue. The side curtains of the exhibitors’ booths have been increased from 3 feet tall to 8 feet tall. The city of Sioux Falls currently has a mask mandate. This mandate is set to expire March 13. “If the mask mandate is extended, we will require that all attendees wear masks,” Brod said. “If the mandate is not extended, masking will be encouraged but won’t be required. We will continue to ask that all exhibitors wear masks, if possible.” Brod encourages attendees to go online to preregister for the expo. “Preregistering will greatly streamline the checkin for attendees,” Brod said. “There will be iPads placed at entry points that will be used for a fast and contactless check-in. Preregistration will make checkin a 30-second experience and will greatly reduce congestion.” All attendees should register online prior to the expo. To register, visit www.centralplainsdairy.com/ registration. A free mobile app is also available to help attendees keep track of events during the expo. The app can be found at www.centralplainsdairy.com/ mobile-app. “The mobile app will send out push notications
that will provide expo attendees with information about the industry-sponsored educational breakout sessions and other announcements,” Brod said. Capacity limits will be set for the breakout session rooms. The breakout session venues are also being expanded to make room for proper social distancing. The Wine and Cheese Social is slated to take place on the evening of Wednesday, March 24. The food and beverages will be prepackaged and will be served by Sanford Premier Center staff. All Sanford Premier Center staff members will undergo daily health screenings, including temperature checks. The staff will follow all COVID-19 safety protocols and will wear personal protective equipment. Sanford Premier Center staff will be constantly cleaning surfaces during the expo. A free pancake breakfast, which will be sponsored by Agropur, will be held the morning of Thursday, March 25. Touch-free coffee dispensers will be located throughout the venue. Contactless, card-only transaction concessions will also be available. “The safety of our expo attendees and exhibitors is paramount,” said Kristopher Bousquet, Central Plains Dairy Association president. “We are taking precautions and adhering to Denny Sanford Premier Center, ASM Global VenueShield Program and Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention) recommendations and checklists. We will do everything in our power to help you model the good behavior that we’re being told will keep you safe and feeling comfortable. This year’s expo will provide attendees with a safe way to interact, in person, with dairy industry representatives and others in the industry.”