June 4, 2020
Anna-Lisa Laca
For the first time in its 53-year history, World Dairy Expo has been cancelled. On Thursday the World Dairy Expo Executive Committee reached this difficult decision based on the public health orders and restrictions related to COVID-19, in place and issued by Public Health Madison & Dane County.
World Dairy Expo 2020 was set to take place at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, September 29 through October 3, 2020. The annual event welcomed more than 62,000 attendees from nearly 100 countries in 2019.
“Our collective heart is heavy as we share with you that World Dairy Expo 2020 has been cancelled,” said Scott Bentley, WDE General Manager. “We know how much this hurts; we feel it, too. Please know other options were explored and considered by the World Dairy Expo Executive Committee and staff.”
The Alliant Energy Center, home to World Dairy Expo, is a county-owned facility that falls under the jurisdiction of Emergency Order #3 and Forward Dane, the phased reopening plan for Dane County. Public health officials predict Dane County may be in the third phase of the plan when World Dairy Expo is set to occur. This phase includes a limit of 250 people at outdoor events, eliminating any possibility that World Dairy Expo, as people know it today, can take place.
“Whether you are one of our 1,600 dairy cattle exhibitors, an employee of one of our 850 companies participating in Expo, one of our 400 dedicated volunteers, one of our 7,000 youth participants, or one of the 62,000 dairy enthusiasts who join us in Madison each fall as an attendee; You are the most important piece and what makes World Dairy Expo so special,” Bentley continued. “Without each of you here, the show wouldn’t be the same.
“We know how much this hurts; we feel it, too. But for 53 years, industry leaders serving on World Dairy Expo’s Board of Directors have guided the show as we adapt to an ever-changing industry. We will continue to do so as we look to the future and plan for next year’s World Dairy Expo, September 28 - October 2, 2021.”
dairyherd.com
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