In mid-November, Agritechnica in Hannover, Germany, closed its doors. The biennial celebration of agricultural machinery lasted a whole week. 476.000 visitors from 171 countries admired the shiny machines in 22 different halls. Those are incredible numbers. Traditionally, several awards were also presented at Agritechnica, with the highlight for us, of course, being the Women in Ag Awards! Here’s a review of the tradeshow.
Agritechnica is THE machinery fair worldwide. There is no place else that unites so many machines from so many different branches of agriculture. I have visited several fairs in Europe and North America, but none can match this one. A few memorable ones to me were the World Ag Expo in Tulare (California – USA) for the special fruit and nut growing machines I saw there, the Farm Progress Show in Boone (Iowa – USA) for the live demonstration of the impressive harvesting machines and the incredibly tasty food (which is rarely found at European fairs…) and the Canadian edition of the Farm Progress Show in Regina (Saskatchewan) for the gigantic machines tailored for Canadian farmer(s). But Agritechnica remains the absolute top when it comes to the amount of new machines and the number of visitors. With the info I gather during such a tradeshow, I can easily write articles for a year.
But even more important in recent years are the contacts I make at such fairs. After the Covid-19 pandemic, it was clear that tradeshows are crucial in our industry. They are the ideal places to catch up with colleagues, consultants and sellers of machinery, seeds and fertilizers. From casual chats to business meetings, it’s all possible at an event like Agritechnica. After the tradeshow, you go home with a contact list full of new additions. That’s how it works for Women in Ag. In just under a week, we filled our smartphones with new contacts from all over the world and soon the LinkedIn connection requests followed. And let’s face it, networking is important in our industry.
Women in Ag Awards
A trade show like Agritechnica is the ideal opportunity to present a number of awards. Innovative machines are awarded the “Innovation Awards” and a number of influencers are recognized for their work with the “Agri Influencer Award,” including Nina Kleine, this edition’s “Influencer.” In collaboration with the DLG, the organisation behind Agritechnica, we hosted the fourth edition of the Women in Ag Awards. It is still mind-blowing to us that we can be a part of this incredible venture. From more than 150 candidates, 12 women were eventually chosen to receive awards in the Farming, Agribusiness, Education and Technology & Research categories. These women will be featured in this and subsequent magazines. The growing interest in this award makes it abundantly clear that there is an evolution brewing in our industry. Women refuse to stay invisible, hidden behind “the farmers” but step into the spotlights where they belong. Every winner, every participant, has an incredible story to tell that can inspire others. And it is about time to elevate their voices!
Visibility and representation
A trade show is always a reality check for us. Until recently, I as a man was not aware of the importance of posters and banners at tradeshows. There were machines on it and someone at the wheel, but beyond that I didn’t pay much attention to them. Until Kim, our editor-in-chief, first went with me to EuroTier in 2022 and I noticed she was counting. When I asked what she counted she chuckled and said “the number of banners with women on them.” That’s something she does: always counting the number of women present or represented. What I found out was disappointing: women are severely underrepresented in our industry and when we see them, it’s always depicted in the role of the caretaker, with a child or a small animal. Never behind the wheel of a tractor. Since then, I have become more sensitive to representation. I also talk openly about it with manufacturers, who usually respond with an “I know….” They often indicate that, behind the scenes, they are working towards a better, fairer representation. One of the stands that was refreshingly different in terms of representation was Pöttinger’s. This Austrian manufacturer not only had more women on the banners, but also took into account showing people of different backgrounds and ages. We hope this will inspire other manufacturers!
By the time Agritechnica closes its doors, preparations for the next fair are already beginning. Mid-november of next year, EuroTier will take its place. We will be happy to be there again for the fifth edition of the Women in Ag Awards!
For now, enjoy a restrospective in pictures.
Pictures: Antoon Vanderstraeten & Jaworr
This article was published in Women in Ag Magazine 2025-004. Click here to read the magazine.
