Agfest is one of the highlights of the Tasmanian rural calendar and I am very pleased the Agfest Committee intend to return the event to the paddock in 2021.
The decision to move Agfest 2020 online was necessary to ensure the safety of the community, but it makes sense to return it to an outdoor event for next year provided the COVID-19 situation remains under control and it can be held in a COVID-safe way.
The event is planned to run over four days from 5-8 May 2021 and will need to comply with public health regulations and restrictions on social distancing, patron numbers, and entry and exit points.
Agfest is a significant contributor to our economy and an important event for our primary industries sector, and this is a good outcome that will provide a much-needed boost for exhibitors. It will also help to support our vision to grow the farm-gate value of agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.
The Tasmanian Government partnered with the Rural Youth Organisation of Tasmania to move Agfest online for 2020, with a $65,000 grant to develop an online Agfest portal that helped showcase Tasmania’s high-quality merchandise to the world.
Should the event be forced back online due to COVID-19 in 2021, Agfest in the Cloud will return from 5-15 May to ensure the event can proceed regardless.
Well done to Rural Youth and the Agfest Committee for their commitment to the event and I look forward to it returning to its rightful place in the paddock in 2021.
More Media Releases from Guy Barnett
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