Progressive Dairy recently connected with Jordon Underhill, president of the American Dairy XPO (ADX) coming up on Nov. 5-6 at the Champlain Valley Expo Centre in Essex, Vermont. ADX is a dairy-specific showcase with over 200 exhibiting companies from around the globe bringing the latest innovation, education, genetics and hospitality to American dairy producers and families.
Why did you start ADX?
UNDERHILL: So it's always about a need in the marketplace with any new business or new opportunity. We felt strongly there is a need in the marketplace, as the U.S. is a big dairy powerhouse in the world. There's lots of conferences and events in big production states like California and Wisconsin, but what's often left out is the Northeast. If you look at the concentration of dairy operations in the Northeast, it is the highest concentration of licensed dairy operations in the U.S. Yes, some are smaller, but you also have medium and large-size operations as well. No matter what the size and scale of these operations are, they all need to be efficient, profitable and sustainable. So we saw a need in the marketplace to bring world-class technology through a trade show to the Northeastern region that's underserviced.
Why did you choose Vermont as the location for the event?
UNDERHILL: Any event starts with a nucleus draw and then grows from there. If you look at that region, there's a high concentration of licensed dairy herds between bordering states and provinces. There are 15,000 licensed dairy operations between New York, Pennsylvania and Quebec. You multiply that number by multiple family members, and we're talking a large potential focused crowd to attend the American Dairy XPO. It's a common question and it's interesting the lack of awareness around the number of licensed dairy operations in the Northeast. This speaks to why we're doing the event there. We think it's underserviced and there's opportunity for companies to help these farm operations grow, expand and become more efficient.
What’s new for dairy producers at ADX?
UNDERHILL: The American Dairy XPO targets U.S. producers who are actively milking cows and are operating licensed dairies. Our goal is to bring national and international innovation directly to these producers. This is a custom-built trade show solely for the dairy industry with international innovations they may have access to and some that are still making their way into the U.S. market. In addition to the trade show, attendees will have access to two days of educational programming included in the price of admission. The Dairy Delivers Classroom, produced by the Vermont Ag Agency and Professional Dairy Producers, will offer two unique programs over the course of the expo.
What’s the most unique thing many don’t already know about ADX?
UNDERHILL: The most unique aspect is the culture. Like the Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX), it's built around family, the pride in milking cows and the business of producing milk. This isn’t about a cattle show – it’s a trade show focused on milk production, which is what pays the bills for most farms. The culture, the pride, the family element and the focus on dairy are what will make the American Dairy XPO unique for generations to come.
What goals would you like to accomplish as president of ADX?
UNDERHILL: Simply put, we want to help dairy farm families operate efficiently and profitably so they can be sustainable for generations to come. We hope the American Dairy XPO will be around for the next 100-plus years, helping these dairy farm families. When farmers succeed, the industry does as well – and so do our communities.
What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming event?
UNDERHILL: I’d say the 4-H grilled cheese sandwiches and milkshakes. Part of the event culture is serving the commodity itself. We host DairyFest, an evening featuring samples of different dairy products, and then 4-H handles all the on-site food as a major fundraiser for 4-H dairy clubs across the U.S.
What is your long-term focus for ADX?
UNDERHILL: My long-term focus is that it becomes what its name is – the American Dairy XPO. That doesn't happen overnight, and we don't want to mislead anybody. The nucleus target originally will be here for the first couple years in the Northeast. As the show gains momentum, we hope to draw from across the U.S. because we think the event can benefit producers from the East to the West Coast. However, we're aware it’s going to take time, just like with CDX here in Canada. So the goal is to draw producers from across the country, to connect them with the industry, connect them with each other and help make them better.
