AEM Signs On as Partner at Louisville Farm Show

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) will co-produce the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) in 2018. In an announcement from the floor of the show last month, AEM President Dennis Slater and Jason Rittenberry, president and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board, said the groups have a verbal agreement to collaborate.

With the collaboration, AEM assumes an equity position in the show.

Rittenberry said the partnership will bring new opportunities for exhibitors and “expand the experience for attendees.” He said the show has to put hundreds of exhibitors on a wait list each year and suggests that could change with AEM’s partnership.

According to an article published in the Louisville Courier-Journal in October, the Kentucky State Fair Board needs about $200 million to improve the Expo Center and fairground but does not have the money. Among plans, according to the article, are a large, multi-purpose “Agri-plex,” an $18 million makeover of Freedom Hall, substantial new meeting and storage space, a new ballroom, and a new $70 million exhibit hall to replace the aging West Wing.

The show in February was the 52nd National Farm Machinery Show. It included about 860 exhibitors and an estimated 300,000 visitors.

AEM has ventured into the farm show business before with the Ag Connect shows in Orlando, Atlanta and Kansas City before joining forces with Commodity Classic.

 The Kentucky State Fair Board is the manager of the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center. In addition to managing both facilities, the Kentucky State Fair Board owns the land for more than a dozen properties, including hotels, restaurants and parking garages.

Work on the partnership has been characterized as being in a very early stage.

Sources: AEM, Bizjournal.com,  Courier-Journal