The annual farmer-led event marked its 30th anniversary, drawing thousands of growers, industry leaders and equipment makers from across the country.
It’s Commodity Classic and attendees explored the latest innovations in agriculture, from precision tech and data-driven seed decision tools, to new herbicide options and the newest tractors on display.
Brian Warpup, Vice Chair of Indiana Soybean Alliance and Huntington County farmer says the Commodity Classic is all about connection, “It’s about the networking. It’s about the collaboration of fellow farmers. Whether you’re from North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, we’re all farmers, but we all do things differently. And so it’s really nice to see what somebody else is doing a couple hundred miles away. And this trade show here, it’s the centerpiece. But yet there’s so much around the trade show as far as education, networking, collaboration. Just meeting with people and as a knowledge education tool almost.”
Farm leaders used the Classic as a platform to voice frustration with steep increases in fuel, fertilizer and other production costs, calling for updated policy support and renewed focus on rural America.
Warpup continues, “The first show I came to was in 2020 and it was in San Antonio. And I’ve been here every year since. I’ve said it before to other people. It’s kind of the Super Bowl of my world. And so everybody’s here. It’s a big event. You can talk to anybody in the industry. I think that’s what I look forward to at the trade show. Whatever company it is, you can get their full attention. And, it’s great conversation. It could be five minutes. It could be an hour. And normally in my world, you don’t get that attention, I guess, and that conversation. So that’s probably the biggest takeaway, coming to Commodity Classic that I have.”
