Steady traffic made this year’s Pacific Agriculture Show at Tradex in Abbotsford another success, despite some speakers being unable to attend due to the US government shutdown.
Attendance totalled 9,550, said show coordinator Jim Shepard. This was up from last year and near the record-breaking tally of 2016, when approximately 9,800 visitors attended.
The number includes both trade show visitors as well as 870 registrants for the Lower Mainland Horticultural Improvement Association’s annual short course and the dairy expo.
Shepard was particularly pleased with attendance at CannaTech West, held January 25 in the new meeting space adjacent to the Abbotsford International Airport tarmac. Dubbed Airside, the spacious facility attracted 150 people. Shepard called it “a huge success.”
Attendance showed the depth of interest in the crop. Many of those attending the presentations had only a passing familiarity with the crop, with their primary activities being in berries, grain and other sectors. Among the issues discussed were several familiar to other producers, including pest and disease management.
While powdery mildew and fusarium may be emerging areas for cannabis growers, tips regarding the importance of monitoring crops closely and educating workers to be vigilant against pests – and gauging pest levels accurately – were lessons benefitting all growers.
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