Aerial view of the expo. Source: https://www.farm-monitor.com/sunbelt-ag-expo-back/

I recently presented on skin cancer and farmers at the 46th Annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie, Georgia. The event ran October 15-17, 2024, at Spence Field. If you haven't been, it's one of the biggest farm shows in the country.

The Expo

The Sunbelt Ag Expo covers 93 acres with over 850 exhibitors. Farmers, educators, policymakers, and people who are just interested in agriculture all show up. There are equipment demonstrations, the Southeastern Farmer of the Year announcement, and hundreds of seminars.

At the expo grounds

Florida was the 2024 Spotlight State. The organizers also set up collection bins for hurricane victims, which felt right given what parts of the Southeast had just been through.

Education at the expo

The expo runs over 300 seminars and demonstrations covering beef, dairy, forestry, equine management, and more. The 530-acre research farm hosts field demonstrations with the latest harvesting and tillage equipment, which drew big crowds.

Healthcare in agriculture

This year, the expo partnered with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) South Georgia to add a healthcare exhibit. That's where I came in. I gave a presentation on skin cancer, focused on farmers who spend most of their working hours in direct sun.

Schedule for day 2 of the expo

An encounter after the talk

After my presentation, a man came up and showed me two spots on his skin that he'd been worried about. I looked at them and strongly encouraged him to follow up with his primary care doctor or a dermatologist. He thanked me, and it was one of those moments that reminded me why having healthcare professionals at events like this matters. This man might not have brought those spots up at a doctor's visit, but in that setting, it felt natural for him to ask.

Presenting on skin cancer with a focus on farmers

What I took away

Farmers deal with sun exposure that most of us don't think about. Eight, ten, twelve hours a day, often without adequate sun protection. Skin cancer prevention isn't usually on the agenda at agricultural events, but it should be. Going to this expo made that clear to me.

If you're in agriculture or healthcare in the Southeast, the Sunbelt Ag Expo is worth attending. The equipment and technology are impressive, but the real value is connecting with the community and finding ways to address health needs that often go overlooked.