A potential expansion to the popular Cow Coliseum building is also being discussed.
The mayor of Stratford, Dan Mathieson, said the inaugural CDX proved it has the ability to draw visitors from across 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 six 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.
In planning for next year’s show, CDX management and their steering committee are proactively working through solutions for more parking, food and cows.
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 available TMR mixer brands and models to determine which machine best suits their individual operation.
Herman DeBoer, business development manager for Jaylor Fabricating Inc. – a CDX founding partner and a Canadian manufacturer of TMR mixers – says the company is highly supportive of the TMR Superstore concept.
“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. 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.
Dates for the 2014 Canadian Dairy XPO are Feb. 5-6. The event will be held at the Stratford Rotary Complex, in Stratford, Ontario. PD
—From Canadian Dairy XPO news release
