Australian Government to provide additional $25 million to support Agricultural Shows

The Australian Government has announced it will be providing a further $25 million to help agricultural shows and field days in their COVID recovery and to continue in their delivery of ongoing benefits to their communities.

Federal Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said Round 2 of the Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program will open soon and the Supporting Showmen and Women Program will be extended for an additional year.

Round 2 of the Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program (to 30th June 2022) will provide $21 million for the operational costs of shows and field days cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19. The Supporting Showmen and Women Program (to 30th June 2022) has been extended to provide an additional $4 million towards reimbursing showground rent of showmen and women.

Minister Littleproud notes “COVID-19 has forced more than 700 agricultural shows and field days to cancel since the pandemic began.

“As a result, our show societies and field day organisers have incurred significant financial losses for two consecutive years. Without these events they’ve got no way to cover their costs.

“Our travelling showmen and women – often small, independent, sole-traders or family-based operations – are particularly hard hit. The flow-on effects to local communities will be felt for years.

Minister Littleproud added “Under Round 1 of the Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program the government provided $34.5 million to 378 show societies and field day organisers who cancelled in 2020.

“We are continuing to back these iconic events with a further $25 million to help ease cash flow pressures for event organisers and provide rent relief to our showmen and women who bring life and colour to the shows.

“Agricultural shows and field days contribute more than $1 billion to the economy annually, attract more than 6 million patrons, and are supported by more than 50,000 volunteers and more than 4,000 showmen and women.

“They deliver significant social benefits to rural and regional Australia, bringing heart, soul and a sense of pride to towns across the country. I am proud to support these events and will continue to encourage the states and territories to do likewise.”

Image: The Royal Adelaide Show was cancelled for the second year in a row, with organisers saying a SA Health decision to cap crowds at 10,000 people made it unfeasible to run the popular annual event in 2021