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Independent Crop Inputs partners with LDE on naming opportunity in Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre

The Independent Crop Inputs (ICI) Meeting Suite is a premier meeting space in new state-of-the-art venue


A group of people posting for a photo.
Independent Crop Inputs (ICI) employees pose with Vaughn Penner, CEO, ICI (sixth from left) and Mike Warkentin, CEO, Lethbridge & District Exhibition (sixth from right) in the ICI Meeting Suite.

Lethbridge, Alta. – A proudly local ag-retail company committed to helping people and supporting the agriculture industry is once again showing its dedication to the communities it serves. Independent Crop Inputs (ICI) has committed to a five-year partnership with Lethbridge & District Exhibition, coming on as naming partner of the ICI Meeting Suite in the new Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre.


With a core purpose of being a relationship company that provides unbiased, value-added and innovative service to farmers, ICI is bucking the trend of national and international consolidation of the industry by staying true to its Southern Alberta roots and focusing on person-to-person connections and service. This commitment aligns with the company’s commitment to support Lethbridge & District Exhibition and the opportunities presented by the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre.


“Our purpose is to bring people together and provide opportunities for collaboration, innovation and economic growth to flourish, which aligns perfectly with ICI’s work,” says Mike Warkentin, CEO, Lethbridge & District Exhibition. “ICI understands that in Southern Alberta, the value of a face-to-face interaction and a handshake still means something, and represents what is great about our agriculture community. We’re thankful for their partnership and for being supportive of what we are working to achieve.”

The ICI Meeting Suite is located in the MNP Meeting Centre on the main floor of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. The 1,000 square foot room is ideally suited for small meetings, breakout space, training sessions and more. The space can also be combined with other meeting suites in the MNP Meeting Centre to host larger meetings and events. As part of the partnership, ICI will also continue to have a strong presence at Ag Expo from Feb. 27-29 in the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre.


With locations in both Taber and Scandia, ICI offers services in crop nutrition, crop protection, agronomy, seeds, and other agriculture services, with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship.


“ICI immediately recognized the value of partnering with Lethbridge & District Exhibition and the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre,” says Vaughn Penner, CEO, Independent Crop Inputs. “This facility is clearly a cornerstone for agriculture in Southern Alberta. We believe deeply in the future of this region and happily partner with groups who are aligned in this belief. This state-of-the-art facility will showcase agriculture for years to come and we are pleased to join like-minded groups in growing the future.”

Learn more about the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre and the ICI Meeting Suite at agrifoodhub.ca.


About ICI

The vision of Independent Crop Inputs (ICI) is to provide an unbiased, independent and high value ag-retail service to producers in Southern Alberta. With the consolidation of the sector into large national and international players, local ownership and service has been lost, but ICI starts and ends with people. Its belief is every successful business ultimately rises and falls on great people, and the company values people through a customer-centered, continually innovating, ag-retail business. As a true independent, ICI chooses to work with all farms, not just one sector, nor one type of operation but all farms. For more information, visit independentcropinputs.com.


About Lethbridge & District Exhibition

Lethbridge & District Exhibition is the premiere destination for bringing people together from all over the world in Southern Alberta. We accelerate economic opportunity through the delivery of memorable experiences. The 268,000 square foot Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre officially opened its doors in August 2023, and will be an economic driver of growth for Alberta’s tourism, agriculture and agri-food sectors. The Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre is expected to contribute more than $90 million annually to the regional economy. For more information, visit agrifoodhub.ca.

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