50th National Farm Machinery Show Nearly Breaks All-Time Attendance Record

For 50 years, the National Farm Machinery Show has been one of the premiere events for those interested in agricultural equipment.
For 50 years, the National Farm Machinery Show has been one of the premiere events for those interested in agricultural equipment.

The Kentucky State Fair Board announced on Feb. 18 that attendance for the 50th National Farm Machinery Show was up 16,000 from last year, giving the event the second highest attendance total of all time. The Board stated that 310,589 exhibitors and agricultural professionals attended this year’s show.

“For 50 years, the National Farm Machinery Show has always been focused on showcasing the best in agriculture, offering firsthand looks at what’s new and highlighting the economic stakes and challenges within the industry,” said Kentucky State Fair Board President and CEO Clifford Rippetoe. “We want to create a gathering place for our latest technologies and education for the ag industry, and these numbers affirm our place as one of the most important agricultural shows in the nation.”

This year’s show took place at the Kentucky Exposition Center this year, and more than 850 exhibitors were at the event. Notably, many exhibitors came from around the globe, representing countries such as Argentina, Italy, Germany and China. The event took place between Feb. 11-14, covering more than 1.2 million square feet of space.

The 47th Championship Tractor Pull also took place in conjunction with the National Farm Machinery Show, bringing in 66,000 people. This audience was 7 percent larger than last year.

Last year, John Deere revealed its ExactEmerge planter at the event. The ExactEmerge has allowed farmers to achieve seed spacing at up to 10 miles per hour. Traditional seed tube technology had previously limited planters to 5 miles per hour.

The National Farm Machinery Show has been in existence since 1966. A few hundred farmers, salesmen and crop experts originally founded the event. The 2016 show will take place between Feb. 10-13 of next year in Louisville, Ky.

Image credit: www.farmmachineryshow.org