Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Farm Machinery Show has announced it is rescheduling the 2021 National Farm Machinery Show. Instead of its usual mid-February dates, it will now take place March 31 to April 3. The show, which draws more than 300,000 people and is the largest indoor ag trade show in the U.S., has been ongoing since 1965.
On their website, NFMS said, “With a possible vaccine on the horizon and safety measures improving daily, the 56th show and 53rd Championship Tractor Pull has been moved to March 31-April 3. Attendees must pre-register for the show and select a day to attend in-advance. Pre-registration is not open at this time, but an announcement will be coming soon.”
The 2021 National Farm Machinery show is the latest major convention to adjust its annual convention — and anticipation for this kind of news is high with the coronavirus spread getting worse yet hope on the horizon. Typically, the show is held each year in Louisville at the Kentucky Exhibition Center, with 1.2 million square feet show casing all things agriculture.
The National Farm Machinery Show has enacted new procedures to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Those measures include:
- Every attendee will be required to register for the show, submitting their name and contact information for contact tracing and attendance management.
- Capacity will be capped to allow for 36 sq. ft. of space per person at any given time.
- The trade show will be conducted in a hybrid model to allow for both in-person and virtual attendance.
- Facial coverings will be required for everyone in attendance.
- Increased hand sanitizer and handwashing stations will be available throughout the property.
Last year, over 860 booths were registered showing off everything from farming, fishing, gardening and more. In 2019, the NFMS brought in an estimated economic impact of $23.8 million to Louisville, filling local hotels and restaurants with attendees from across the country and around the world. However, this year there will not that kind of an economic impact, which is so greatly missed.
Before the pandemic, the National Farm Machinery Show offered the most complete selection of cutting-edge agricultural products, equipment and services available in the farming industry in one area. Business professionals from around the world gain knowledge and hands-on access to various technological advancements needed for the upcoming farming season during the four-day show. However, this year the show will have to make that available online.
This was not a major surprise since the 2021 World Ag Expo — which takes place the same week in California — announced in September it will no longer take place in person. In addition to the World Ag Expo, the American Farm Bureau Federation and Commodity Classic organizers made the decision to transition to virtual conventions instead of in-person for early 2021. All of these decisions are made in light of attendees’ safety and well being of expo members.
