LOUISVILLE, Ky. – This year’s National Farm Machinery Show will be held Feb. 12-15 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Admission to the show is free, however there is a fee to park at the facility. 

Within the Kentucky Exposition Center’s 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space, more than 800 exhibitors stand ready to showcase leading brands, services and products. The National Farm Machinery Show offers one of the most complete selections of cutting-edge agricultural products and equipment. 

 “From tractors and mowers to balers and haulers, visitors can explore the newest equipment utilized across every segment of the agricultural production industry,” said David Beck, President & CEO of Kentucky Venues. “Exhibited will be tools designed to benefit businesses of all sizes, from global operations to small-scale farms.”

 More than 300,000 visitors are expected at this year’s four-day show to see the latest and greatest in farm equipment, technology and services. Visitors will want to take advantage of special product launches, in-depth demonstrations and informative seminars throughout the show.

In addition, there is the Gift & Craft Market, an excellent opportunity for attendees to shop for clothing, toys, collectibles and more.

 Of course, it wouldn’t be the National Farm Machinery Show without the exhilaration of the Championship Tractor Pull, sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America. Nearly 200 drivers will compete in the nation’s longest-running indoor tractor pull. Attendees can view the excitement in person or tune into a live stream across five performances.

 The National Farm Machinery Show got its start in 1965 when a few hundred farmers, salesmen and crop experts converged at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. That year was a robust one for farmers across the nation, as they were experiencing record-high profits and high commodity prices.

 Then, in 1969 the first Championship Tractor Pull was held inside Freedom Hall. The event attracted 66 tractors in just three classes.

 “Louisville’s location in the agriculturally-rich Midwest and Southern corridor was accessible and attractive to farm implement manufacturers and dealers from around the nation,” Beck said. “Louisville was a centralized location where exhibitors could display their ag products, serves and equipment.”

“I think that is a very powerful part of why so many people come to this farm show. There’s largely a discussion about items you can implement the next day when you go home,” said Ian Cox, Executive Director of Communications for Kentucky Venues.

 “Our trade show sold out once again,” Cox said. 

 Many veteran attendees of the show perform an initial walk-through to get a sense of what has items they haven’t seen at prior shows. The major manufacturers and their dealer partners (such as John Deere, Kubota, Mahindra and Kinze) have footprints that are reliably in the same place every year.

 Companies with smaller booths, however, are situated into neat and even rows in the center of the exhibit hall. It is here that attendees will likely stumble across brands they may be unfamiliar with.

The largest portion of the arena is the South Wing, which is adjacent to the North Wing. Snaking through these corridors will lead you into the West Wing. The lower ceilings means it won’t be packed with large tractors, but one will find tool companies, livestock companies, pickup truck manufacturers, utility vehicle makers and many others.

 “This hits on an opportunity to see new exhibitors, some that are small business, which are standing next to others like Kubota and New Holland,” Cox said.

For those who attended NFMS prior to the pandemic and used the NFMS Events app in Google Play or the Apple Store, that app is no longer active. Still, there is an abundance of printed event booklets being handed out to help one navigate through this super-sized event.

When visitors get hungry, the centrally located main food court with several restaurants celebrates Kentucky-grown goods. Other food booths are scattered throughout the venue. Dining setups are located in the West Wing and South Wing.

This sold-out national farm show will bring in $27.7 million in estimated economic impact.

For more information visit the show’s website at https://farmmachineryshow.org/