The 52nd annual KMOT Ag Expo kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and will continue through Friday, Jan. 27, at the State Fair Center on the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot. Each year the event draws approximately 30,000-40,000 people.
MINOT, N.D. – Over a half-century in existence, the KMOT Ag Expo has grown to become the largest indoor farm show in the Upper Midwest. The show has served as a yearly gathering of farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals where the latest technological advancements are revealed and larger than life iron-built farm machinery is showcased.
The 52nd annual KMOT Ag Expo kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and will continue through Friday, Jan. 27, at the State Fair Center on the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot. Each year the event draws approximately 30,000-40,000 people.
According to Todd Telin, KMOT Ag Expo manager, the show’s January time slot works perfectly due to its convenience for those in the agriculture industry.
“January is just a better time for the ag producers in the area,” Telin said. “They’re not calving yet or getting the fields ready, so there’s not as much going on for the producers other than hauling grain, and when it’s cold outside they’d much rather come inside. It’s nice to have it early in the year when there’s not a lot of other ag-related things they could be doing.
“What’s great about the show is that it’s all indoors,” Telin continued. “You walk in one door and you can see everything the show has to offer without going back outside. We have a great variety of vendors, showcasing all the new technology that’s out for 2023, and we also have all the different varieties of seed, chemical – everything that’s related to ag will be at the show.”
The 2023 KMOT Ag Expo is sold out with 1,030 booths and over 350 exhibitors.
“We added about 5-6 extra booths because we had that many people that wanted back in. This is the most vendors we’ve had since COVID,” Telin said.
When it comes to the KMOT Ag Expo, everything is 100 percent related to the business of agriculture.
“Everything is tailored to agriculture,” Telin said. “This is a chance for our vendors and clients to get their new products out for 2023. They do quite a bit of business here, especially with people buying seed for the new year. Again, everything here is ag-related. A lot of other shows have some mom and pop stuff in there, but we keep it straight, 100 percent ag-related, which is nice for our viewers in the area that come to the show.
“It’s all under one roof and the State Fair Center is great for that,” he continued. “You can see every piece of equipment, everything seed or insurance companies have to offer, and all the new technology for the coming year. Everything the industry has to offer is under one roof.”
Telin attributes the show’s sustained success to the advantages they have on the marketing side.
“One advantage we have over other shows is that we have the power of television,” he said. “We run a ton of promos for sponsorships across all of western North Dakota, eastern Montana, and northern South Dakota. The power of television drives people to the show, and everyone who comes to the show knows it’s going to be sold out every year.”
Telin also says attendees can expect to see the latest and greatest in agriculture technology and equipment, along with numerous other exhibits that cover all areas of agriculture.
“We have the biggest equipment dealers and vendors in the area,” Telin said. “We’ve got Case IH, John Deere, Butler – all the big guys. They bring in a lot of equipment and products.”
Sponsors for the 52nd annual KMOT Ag Expo include: BASF, Farm Credit Services, and Väderstad (day sponsors); West Dakota Chevy Truck (the official truck of the KMOT Ag Expo); Bremer Bank (information booth sponsor); Mosaic (lower concourse); Fiberglass Specialties (north concourse); Pomps Tire Service (lobby); Optimum Ag, United Agronomy, Precision Farm Parts, Inc., Mandako, JGL Grain and SunOpta (hall sponsors); IntelliFarms and UPL (exhibitor social sponsors); United Community Bank (exhibitor lounge); SRT and Enbridge (Living Ag Classroom sponsors); United Agronomy (parking sponsor); Birdsall Grain & Seed (seminar room sponsor); and UPL (shuttle bus sponsor). Farm & Ranch Guide is the official show publication for the 2023 KMOT Ag Expo.
Living Ag Classroom
The Living Ag Classroom, one of the most anticipated and attended features of the KMOT Ag Expo, is back for another year of educating area students about production agriculture.
“The Living Ag Classroom is kind of a staple of the KMOT Ag Expo,” Telin said. “The commodity groups are here to show the kids all about the agriculture process, like how honey is made and how wheat is turned into bread. It’s really great for the kids.”
Typically, approximately 800-900 students are bused in to participate in the Living Ag Classroom during the KMOT Ag Expo. The students travel in from around a 50-60 mile radius.
Less students were able to participate the last couple of years due to COVID concerns among schools, but Telin expects full attendance this year.
“We’ll have more kids this year,” he said. “The last couple of years we had some schools pull out because of COVID, so we’ll have a full list of schools this year.”
Participating students rotate through an assortment of hands-on activities in an effort to help teach them all about North Dakota agriculture and the process that puts food on their plates.
Seminars/exhibits
The KMOT Ag Expo’s informational seminars continue to be one of the most important aspects of the annual show for farmers and ranchers. This year’s show continues that tradition.
Seminars will be held in the Norsk Room in the upper level of the State Fair Center during all three days of the KMOT Ag Expo.
“Our seminar room is all filled up,” Telin said. “There are different seminars throughout the day, all day long. It’s nice for people that come to the show, and it allows them to take a break and take in some of the seminars and relax.”
Other information
Parking and admission are free, and there is a heated shuttle bus to bring attendees from the parking lot to the front door of the KMOT Ag Expo. Upon arrival, attendees are invited to stop by the KMOT/Bremer Information Booth where official programs with exhibitor maps and listings are available.
“The shuttle bus is a really nice thing we have,” Telin said. “It’s a pretty big event, so parking ranges pretty far away. The shuttle bus will bring you right to the front door. We’ve got free parking and free admission.”
Doors to the KMOT Ag Expo are open on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 25-26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Friday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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The 52nd annual KMOT Ag Expo kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and will continue through Friday, Jan. 27, at the State Fair Center on the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot. Each year the event draws approximately 30,000-40,000 people.
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