DAIRY ST R
March 12, 2016
First Section
Central Plains
MARCH 29-31, 2016 Sioux Falls, SD • Convention Center
Staying on the cutting edge Krogstad shares what’s new at Central Plains Dairy Expo 2016 By Missy Mussman missy@dairystar.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Last year’s expansion of the tradeshow oor space by 150 percent made Central Plains Dairy Expo (CPDE) bigger and better than ever, but the popular show is continuing to improve by adding new features. “We are staying on the cutting edge of the industry,” said Craig Krogstad, a dairy producer near Baltic, S.D., and CPDE board member. Craig Krogstad There will once again be CPDE board member something for everyone at the 2016 CPDE on March 29 – 31 at the Sanford Premier Center Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D. To kick off CPDE this year, country music artist, Craig Morgan, will be performing at the Welcome Reception and Concert on Tuesday, March 29 at 5:30 p.m., which is free for dairy producers. “This concert is what makes this show unique,” Krogstad said. “It brings a large number of people for that rst night, and it’s something the farmers enjoy. Farmers don’t get to travel a lot to concerts and this allows them to see a name they know or have heard of on the radio that they normally wouldn’t see.” When the tradeshow opens at 8:30 a.m. on March 30 and 8 a.m. on March 31, over 300 vendors will be showcasing their products. “We have a few new vendors this year,” Krogstad said. “We’re using every inch of oor space for our exhibitors, along with some larger equipment exhibited outside. There’s going to be a lot to see. If farmers are interested in something, more than likely, it will be there.” New products from a number of vendors will also be a highlight for producers. “It’s all dairy specic, and producers will be able to see these new products rst hand,”
Krogstad said. To highlight some of these new products, CPDE will be providing producers with a unique opportunity to learn about them as a group through Meet Ups. “We wanted to try something a little different this year for vendors to present their products and catch more producers at one time,” Krogstad said. “By interacting in a group setting, multiple farmers are asking questions others wouldn’t think to ask themselves, which can allow them to get more information on a product.” Two companies will be participating in the new Meet Ups. Reaves Buildings will be explaining and answering questions about their custom designed and engineered buildings, and DairyVisor, will be showcasing their new product, DairyVisor Data. The Meet Ups at Reaves Buildings will be at their booth, No.
144-145 in the convention center on March 30 at 10 a.m. and March 31 at 10:30 a.m. DairyVisor’s will be at their booth, No. 38 in the convention center, on March 30 at 2 p.m. and March 31 at 9 a.m. Besides the new merchandise from vendors, there will be another new attraction on the showroom oor this year with free ice cream and grilled cheese sandwiches being served to the producers. “It is one more way to show our appreciation for the farmers attending the Expo,” Krogstad said. “Free food is always a plus.” Beyond the tradeshow, the CPDE board added a third Spanish workshop to the conferTurn to CUTTING EDGE | Page 3
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Visitors ll the exhibitor hall on March 25, the rst day of the Central Plains Dairy Expo last year. This year, the expo runs from March 29-31 in Sioux Falls, S.D.