A new report shows the economic impact generated by this year's Western Canadian Crop Production Show in Saskatoon.
Commissioned by Prairieland Park, the numbers contained in the economic impact report come from a survey of 352 people attending this year's show which was held January 13 to the 15. The interviews were conducted by students from the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Agriculture Manager for Prairieland Park Leigh Ann Hurlburt said the survey asked several questions, such as what kind of active purchases are will be made this year and where and how long visitors were staying in Saskatoon for the event.
It determined that 30 per cent of the 16,114 attendees came from a 50-kilometre radius of Saskatoon, 63 per cent from the rest of Saskatchewan and nine per cent from other provinces or countries. About 89 per cent stated the show directly influenced their purchase decisions.
The report estimates direct on-site transactions made during the show was $182.9 million.
Another $30.2 million in total grain volume executed directly on the show floor, $3.8 million immediate and $26.4 million in forward contracts.
For planned capital expenditures for the upcoming growing season, including equipment, inputs and services, the number was $895.8 million for a total of $1.1 billion.
Businesses, including hotels and restaurants also benefit from the Western Canadian Crop Production Show. The estimated economic impact comes to more than $3.5 million in a single week.
Hurlburt is especially pleased with the 99.5 percent of those surveyed who said attending the show was an essential, proven, return on investment destination.
"The conversations that are had during this show are very important to what's going to happen in a current year for production. Producers make decisions on what they're going to seed, how they're going to seed it, and new technology – they're always looking to make it more efficient, so those conversations being one-on-one are so important and it's at a time when they have time to come and spend and do some socializing as well." Hurlburt said.
The Western Canadian Crop Production show returns to Prairieland Park January 12-14, 2027.
(With files from Neil Billinger, CJWW)
