DLG expands exhibition portfolio in North America with strategic acquisition of Underhill Enterprise Inc; new dairy show planned

Acquisition includes Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX), leading trade fair for the Canadian dairy industry – New DLG subsidiary established in North America – Launch of new dairy exhibition in the US in November 2025

Frankfurt, Germany, 9 September, 2024 –  DLG (German Agricultural Society) has today announced that it has acquired, with immediate effect, the North American trade fair organizer Underhill Enterprise Inc. (UEI) based in Ontario, Canada, and organizer of Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX), the leading exhibition for the Canadian dairy industry. An important part of DLG's international strategy for trade fairs, events, international networks and projects in the agricultural and food sectors, the acquisition serves to strengthen DLG’s offering to farming professionals in the North American market. 

The North American trade fair business, UEI, acquired by the DLG will be integrated into “DLG North America”, a new DLG subsidiary based in Toronto, Canada, and set up in July 2024 to manage DLG’s activities on the North American continent. The management team of UEI will now work for DLG North America, including its founder, Jordon Underhill. A key aim of the DLG, is to further knowledge among farmers primarily through international networking platforms like Canadian Dairy XPO, an essential part of the acquisition.

"The acquisition of UEI and the establishment of DLG North America are groundbreaking steps in our international strategy. We look forward to strengthening our commitment to farming professionals in North America and to further promoting the exchange of knowledge and innovation in the agricultural sector worldwide,” says Jens Kremer, Managing Director of DLG International, responsible for DLG's international business development.

“With UEI and its founder Jordon Underhill, we are partnering with a true visionary a committed entrepreneur who, as a bovine farmer himself, knows the target groups extremely well. Jordon Underhill and his team have successfully developed the Canadian Dairy XPO, an annual exhibition he founded, into the most important industry meeting place in Canada in just 10 years. We look forward to continuing this work with Jordon," added Kremer.

Together with the team of UEI and its founder Jordon Underhill, DLG North America aims to develop further the Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) and to bridge the gap between North America and Europe. The DLG will be adding not only its agricultural know-how and international networks but also its exhibition expertise, drawing on its 30 agricultural trade fairs worldwide, including EuroTier, the world’s leading trade fair for livestock technologies held in Germany.

Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) complements trade fair portfolio for animal husbandry technology 

Showcasing technical dairy innovations, the Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) is the leading trade fair for the Canadian dairy farming industry. CDX, which attracts 350 exhibitors and more than 17,000 visitors, will play a central role in DLG's global portfolio and act as a bridge between the North American market and other international agricultural markets.

"I am excited about this transition and how this will benefit Canadian dairy farmers. I have collaborated with the DLG since 2018 and have been impressed by DLG's international networks and its exhibition expertise, particularly as organizer of the world's leading trade fairs EuroTier for animal husbandry technology and livestock management and Agritechnica for agricultural machinery. DLG’s international agricultural knowledge will enable CDX to offer its exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to connect even more closely with international markets and innovations. I’m extremely proud of the North American dairy industry and what it stands for,” says Jordon Underhill.

DLG to launch new Dairy Exhibition in the US

With the experienced team of Underhill Inc and the new DLG leadership, a new trade fair and B2B platform for US dairy farmers, will be launched in 2025. Celebrating its premiere in Burlington, Vermont, USA in November next year, the new trade fair will present technical innovations from exhibitors and practical farming know-how from the DLG and professional partners.

Since 2010, the DLG has been active in several agricultural projects in North America with focus on trade fairs and events as well as exhibitor and visitor promotion for Agritechnica and EuroTier. Last year, the DLG opened a representative office in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Media contact

Malene Conlong
+49 69 24788-213
m.conlong@dlg.org

About the DLG:

With more than 31,000 members, DLG is a politically independent and non-profit organization. DLG draws on an international network of some 3,000 food and agricultural experts. Through its subsidiary, DLG International, DLG operates has subsidiaries in nine countries and also organizes over 30 regional agricultural and livestock exhibitions worldwide. DLG’s leading international exhibitions, EuroTier for livestock farming and Agritechnica for agricultural machinery, which are held every two years in Hanover, Germany, provide international impetus for the local trade fairs. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, DLG conducts practical trials and tests to keep its members informed of the latest developments. DLG’s sites include DLG's International Crop Production Centre, a 600-hectare farm and test site in Bernburg-Strenzfeld, Germany and the DLG Test Centre, Europe's largest agricultural machinery test centre for Technology and Farm Inputs, located in Gross-Umstadt, Germany. DLG bridges the gap between theory and practice, as evidenced by more than 40 working groups of farmers, academics, agricultural equipment companies and organizations that continually compare advances in knowledge in specific areas such as irrigation and precision farming.

 About Underhill Enterprise Inc (UEI):

Established in 2010 by Jordon Underhill with the aim of setting up new, specialized agricultural trade shows for North American farmers, Underhill Enterprise Inc. has accumulated nearly 25 years’ experience in event management.  A lifelong, professional bovine farmer, Jordon Underhill launched the Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) exhibition in 2013 to meet the needs of Canada’s dairy farmers for a vertical trade show with specialized people and innovation. The aim was to offer Canadian dairy producers’ access to global knowledge to ensure their operations were efficient, profitable, and sustainable for generations to come.

CDX has developed into the largest gathering of the dairy industry in Canada and is also a substantial supporter of dairy youth groups and other non-profit activities in the dairy sector.