Photos and story by Jeff Stoker

Dairy producers from the growing I-29 corridor converged on Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 1st and 2nd for the Central Plains Dairy Expo. The expo, put on by the Central Plains Dairy Association, was held in the Sioux Falls Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel. It included a wide variety of speakers and more than 230 exhibitors to visit in the tradeshow hall.

The speakers included a presentation, “Outlook for Milk Prices” by University of Wisconsin ag economist Bob Cropp. Radio broadcaster Trent Loos and cowboy poet Baxter Black were also among the many who spoke to attendees.

South Dakota experienced growth of 9.4 percent in milk production from 2007 to 2008, the third-largest jump in the country. Neighboring states Iowa and Minnesota also saw modest gains in dairy growth.

For more information about the Central Plains Dairy Expo or the Central Plains Dairy Association, call (218) 236-8420 or visit www.centralplainsdairy.com PD

Above: Producers and attendees mingle on the tradeshow floor at the Central Plains Dairy Expo. The event boasts over 61,000 feet of exhibits and more than 230 exhibitors in the tradeshow, making it one of the largest dairy-specific shows in the country.