United States grants federal approval for America’s first A1 international horticultural exposition

Expo 2031 Minnesota announced in November that the U.S. government has formally granted federal approval for America’s first A1 International Horticultural Exposition.

The designation confirms government support for the global six-month exposition to be hosted in Dakota County from May to October 2031.

The milestone was affirmed in an official letter from Howard Lutnick, the U.S. secretary of commerce, confirming the federal government’s commitment to working with Expo 2031 organizers, state and local leadership and international partners to advance the event’s economic, diplomatic, horticultural and innovation objectives.

Expo 2031 Minnesota will be the first world-level A1 Horticultural Exhibition ever held in the United States, recognized by the International Association of Horticultural Producers. The expo is projected to attract more than 6 million visitors, generating major economic and tourism impact.

The Expo 2031 Minnesota USA Organizing Committee will formally celebrate its approved A1 Horticultural Exposition status with founding partners and state and federal leaders during the AIPH Spring Meeting in March 2026 in Sydney, Australia.

This international gathering will mark the first global celebration of the United States’ designation and will include special recognition of the partners, agencies and sector leaders whose efforts helped secure federal approval and advance America’s entry into the world stage of A1 horticultural exhibitions.