AgQuip, Events

AgQuip officially cancelled for 2021

Australia’s largest agricultural field day, AgQuip, has been cancelled and will not proceed in 2021.

AgQuip 2021 has been postponed. Image: ACM Rural Events

The organisers of the event, ACM Rural Events, cited the ongoing uncertainty of COVID-19 as the reason for the cancellation, having already postponed the event from its initial date in mid-August.

Extended lockdowns and restrictions on travel throughout New South Wales and interstate, as well as snap lockdowns throughout other parts of the country, meant organisers were forced into cancelling event after initially rescheduling it to November.

RELATED: EVENTS POSTPONED OVER COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

The decision was made in consultation with the NSW state government and agencies. 

ACM Rural Events group manager Kate Nugent says the cancellation of the show for the second year in a row was disappointing, but insisted the decision was made to protect the community.

“It is with a great sense of loss, disruption and disappointment to cancel for the second year (in 2021 and 2022), particularly when the Australian agricultural industry is experiencing a boom year and a beacon for our Australian economy,” Nugent says.

“It is the most responsible decision to cancel as early as we could to give everyone certainty and minimise the impacts where possible.

 “The health and safety of our primary industry, rural and regional communities is paramount, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to get vaccinated so we can get back to enjoying COVID-safe events again.”

AgQuip – the country’s largest agricultural field day – usually draws a crowd in the tens of thousands and exhibitors travel across the country to showcase the latest in agricultural machinery and technology.

However, following the cancellation of this year’s event, AgQuip has not been held for the past two years given concerns regarding COVID-19 and restrictions in place on both occasions. 

Nugent says plans have already been made to revive AgQuip in 2022 while a spin-off event, AgSmart Australia, will be introduced early next year.

Scheduled for March, AgSmart will be the country’s first commercial agtech innovation exhibition and will be staged in a multi-purpose indoor venue in Tamworth, NSW. 

“As we work together to contain the current outbreak and get our communities vaccinated, we can all look forward to the return of major events like AgQuip and new events like AgSmart that bring us together in celebration of the Australian agricultural industry and community,” she says.

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