Industry News and Awards
March 13, 2024 / 5 minute read
ADS Ag Takes on Commodity Classic
- One booth.
- Three days.
- Nine ADS reps.
- 188 of the softest t-shirts given away.
- 276 games of Plinko played.
- Hundreds of new connections made and existing friendships rekindled.
- $3,000 worth of tile given away to three lucky winners.
Commodity Classic is, “America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience.” This was the 5th year ADS attended. An estimated 11,500 producers, farmers, ranchers, agronomists, ag-affiliated exhibitors and media attended the show in Houston, Texas — one of the largest crowds on record.
From brand-new products and innovations to tried-and-true favorites, show attendees — as well as exhibitors — experienced three days full of learning, connecting and of course, fun. Here’s a short recap of their time in the Longhorn state.
Day 1: Howdy!
On day one, many companies unveiled new products and implements to media. The show floor was open to attendees to explore for a few hours. XtremeAg farmers Chad Henderson and Matt Miles stopped by the ADS booth to chat with the ADS crew and answer questions from customers.
The booth featured familiar faces from the ADS team: Darla Huff, Eric Esser, Tim Dahl, Kirby Schiffbauer, Kevin Adams, Logan Chamberlain, and Al Dahlen as well as members of their marketing team: Victoria Magruder and Laura Sprague.
The lift station display with a loop of running water captured the attention of attendees as did the fan-favorite Plinko game. To play, show goers young and old had to answer a question about tile (and get it right). Wherever their Plinko chip landed, they won a prize.
“The Plinko game is a fun way to teach basic facts about the value of tiling, recycled tile and water management,” said Logan Chamberlain, ADS market manager. “We really like that this is something everyone can play, no matter their age. They are usually surprised to learn more about the benefits of ADS tile to soil and love the prizes they win.”
Day 2: Saddle Up
With a full day of showcased events, attendees were encouraged to take advantage of the many educational sessions, demonstrations and seminars to soak in all the learning opportunities possible, just in time for spring planting season.
ADS did the same. For the first time, they held an in-booth education panel for members of the media and show attendees. Panelists included XtremeAg farmers Chad Henderson (Alabama) and Matt Miles (Arkansas), drainage contractor Randy Nessman (Minnesota @MasterPipeLayer) and ADS lift station specialist Tim Dahl (Minnesota); Logan Chamberlain (Ohio) moderated the panel. The wide variety of farming and tiling experiences between the four panelists made for a rich discussion on the value of installing tile, as well as what lift stations do and how they benefit the land. Henderson and Miles discussed the value of tile for red dirt and Sharkey clay soil, while Dahl and Nessman spoke to more traditional uses of tile for over-saturated soil.
A full house for the panel meant new opportunities for tile education. If you missed it, the panel was broadcast on Facebook Live and can also be found in the videos section of the ADS Facebook page.
Day 3: Happy Trails to You
Commodity’s general session kicked off the morning, and the rest of the day was spent interacting with customers, providing education on the benefits of tiling and answering questions for media. After three full days of visiting with new and potential customers, ADS reps noticed two recurring themes: sustainability and sharing benefits of tile in all soil types.
“People often think that because their soil conditions are drier or they live in southern states, tile won’t benefit their soil,” Chamberlain said. “One of my favorite aspects of customer interaction is telling them about all the ways water management can work for yes, traditionally wet fields but also dry, red dirt, clay, and Sharkey soil. You see the light bulb go on and the wheels start to turn. The personal interaction is a huge benefit to learning and a real value to us in going to shows like Commodity or any of the other regional or state shows.”
In terms of sustainability, ADS has taken bold steps forward to decrease their carbon footprint while increasing the quality of their tile. ADS recycled more than 540 million pounds of plastic in 2023 and creates long-lasting, durable recycled tile that goes through the same quality testing as virgin tile. Time and time again, the results speak for themselves: ADS recycled tile surpasses all the same standards as virgin tile and performs just as well as virgin tile in the field.
Using sustainable products and purchasing from companies like ADS who have taken innovative steps in the direction of sustainability are important to farmers like Henderson and Miles. Both are generational farmers who aim to leave the land better for their children, which includes water conservation and innovative farming practices.
“Lift stations are something we use to manage our water,” Miles said during the panel. “So, in the summer, when it comes time to irrigate or we’d like to have a rain, we’re going to use the lift station to raise the level of that soil moisture. You know what that does for guys who irrigate like guys like me and Chad? We use less water ... which is better for the environment. We’re not recycling it, but we’re using less of it.”
To show appreciation to all the visitors of the ADS booth each day, trade show attendees were encouraged to enter the drawing for a chance to win $1,000 worth of tile. A winner was drawn each day; congratulations to the following people:
- Tanyna Hubenthal, Systematic Ag.
- Bridget Clover, Clover Ag.
- Marlena Liming, Lou-Ida Farms.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the ADS booth to learn more about the benefits of a total water management system. With spring installation season just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to contact your ADS rep and make sure your fields are ready to go for the year ahead.