GREAT FALLS — The Montana Agricultural and Industrial Exhibit, better known as MAGIE, once again drew large crowds to Great Falls, from January 21st through the 23rd, as producers, businesses, and community members gathered for one of the state’s largest agricultural trade shows.
The three-day event brings together farmers, ranchers, and industrial businesses from across Montana, showcasing everything from equipment and services to emerging agricultural technology. Organizers say the show consistently features more than 160 vendors and over 200 booths each year.
Madison Collier reports - watch the video here:
But for many who attend, MAGIE is about more than what’s on display.
“I've always said it's kind of a nice time for people to get together,” said Ron Korb, one of the organizers of the event. “Kind of like a big family reunion for the agricultural space.”
Attendance remains steady throughout the show’s run, with patrons returning day after day to connect with vendors and check out what’s new in the industry. Korb says that consistent turnout is a sign of how important the event has become for Montana’s agricultural community.
“The attendance kind of stays pretty steady for all three days,” Korb said. “And it's the community that comes in to check out the new technology.”
That technology continues to evolve. Korb pointed to drones as one example of how the show has changed in recent years, something that wasn’t present at MAGIE just a few years ago, but now has multiple vendors represented on the floor.
For vendors, MAGIE offers a chance to connect directly with producers and build relationships that extend beyond the trade show itself. Many say the face-to-face interaction is one of the most valuable parts of the event.
As this year’s show wraps up, organizers say they’re already looking ahead to what innovations could appear at MAGIE next year, and they expect the crowds to return.
