By Dominique Tassell
The Federal Government has announced they will provide a further $25 million to “help agricultural shows and field days bounce back post-pandemic and continue to deliver ongoing benefits to their communities”.
The funding aims to help those linked to agriculture shows and field days and includes funding to ease rental costs for travelling showmen and women.
The Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program will open for Round 2 soon and 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 has been extended to provide an additional $4 million towards reimbursing showground rent of showmen and women.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said “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,” Minister Littleproud said.
“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.
“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.
Minister Littleproud stated that 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.”
This brings total funding for support of agricultural shows and field days to almost $83 million.
The Warwick Show previously received $15,000 in the first round of funding.
