World Pork Expo Returns in Person: Here’s Why Attendance Will Be Strong
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World Pork Expo (WPX) is making its grand return to Des Moines, Iowa, this week. After a double dose of headwinds forcing show cancellations, this year marks the first time since 2018 the event is being held.
The event was canceled in 2019 due to African swine fever (ASF) concerns, while 2020 was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Pork Producers Council says this will mark the 33rd annual WPX event.
"Excited is an understatement," says Neil Dierks, CEO of National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) who just last week announced his retirement after three decades of working for NPPC. "We've not had Expo for the last two years because of various things. Of course, we all know a year ago this time, things were shut down. But we're very excited to have Expo this year. And it appears from early indications from interest by exhibiting companies and others that people are very excited about getting back to having an Expo."
In a recent Farm Journal's PORK poll, 55% of respondents said this will be the first in-person pork event they've attended since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 30% said they are most looking forward to networking with companies and 25% said they couldn't wait to get to the show to catch up with friends.
Source: Farm Journal's PORK
"It seems like people are a little bit of starved from being able to talk face to face with people," Dierks says. "I've heard the comments saying they miss having the meetings because they was learned much even in the hallway from other attendees. So, we're really excited about it, and from an NPPC perspective, Expo allows people to come together to share stories, look at new technology, attend seminars, attend the barbecue and more. We are very, very excited for this year."
In addition to catching up with friends, brainstorming and sharing ideas were the biggest things attendees have missed about the WPX not taking place the past two years, the survey noted.
NPPC is expecting thousands of producers and industry professionals to attend, including a trade show with more than 700 vendors. Survey respondents said the first thing they plan to accomplish when they get to the event is to walk the trade show. More than 22% of those surveyed said the trade show was their favorite part of WPX.
World Pork Expo kicks off Wednesday, June 9 and runs through Friday, June 11. Follow along as Farm Journal's PORK provides complete "PORK Week coverage" from the event this week.
