AGRIBUSINESS

Henty field days cancelled

COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of this year's Henty Machinery Field Days.

Mark Saunders

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One of Australia's largest agricultural events and usually run each September at Henty, New South Wales, the field days will not be held due to ongoing concerns with coronavirus.

The HMFD Board announced the cancellation yesterday.

HMFD chief executive officer Belinda Anderson said the unknowns for large mass gatherings beyond the Federal Government's stage three roll-out of restrictions made organising and planning the event difficult.

"It has become apparent the field days will not be able to go ahead in 2020," Anderson said.

"Without a clear path to the end of this pandemic and the full easing of social restrictions, the obstacles to running a successful, and more importantly safe Field Days, were insurmountable.

"We are a national event and with state borders closed we would disappoint all our exhibitors from interstate along with the many visitors we have who attend from around the nation and overseas.

"This has been a difficult decision for organisers knowing it would disappoint all of our stakeholders, including members, staff, sponsors, exhibitors community groups and visitors."

Anderson said the HMFD co-operative would use the time provided to improve assets to ensure a bigger and better experience at the 2021 event on September 21-23.

"We thank everyone for their support and patience while we deliberated on the decision," she said.

"The field days have been cancelled twice in their history due to economic recession in 1970 and 1971, and regrettably the HMFD Board was forced to make the call this year.

"We are devastated for the region, our volunteers, the 22 community organisations, thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors - it will be sorely missed."

Anderson said the HMFD team was now busy investigating options for a virtual format of the event in September with more information to be released at a later date.

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