This year’s World Dairy Expo, a large dairy conference held annually in Madison, has been canceled due to concerns related to the coronavirus.
The event was scheduled to take place Sept. 29-Oct. 3 at the Alliant Energy Center.
It is the first time the event has been canceled in its 53-year history, according to a press release announcing the cancelation Thursday afternoon.
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“Our collective heart is heavy as we share with you that World Dairy Expo 2020 has been cancelled,” said the event’s general manager Scott Bentley in the press release. “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.”
In 2019, more than 62,000 people attended from nearly 100 countries, according to the organization.
The decision was partially affected by public health and county guidelines, according to the press release.
“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,” the press release states.
The World Dairy Expo is now scheduled for Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2021.
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