Coronavirus cancellations and postponements

Taking a proactive approach to combating the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, has meant many organizational leaders at local, state and federal levels  are canceling or postponing events and meetings at a minimum until the end of March and is likely to carry into mid-spring.

High Plains Journal has been receiving many cancellation notices from organizations from our 12-state coverage area, said Editor Dave Bergmeier, and as a public service the publication is listing those notices. Readers are encouraged to stay in contact with organizations to receive the latest information to see when or if meetings and events are canceled or rescheduled.

“We know many other organizations are contemplating how to handle future meetings and events, but that will depend on how health officials give them the clearance to safely proceed,” he said.

Some event organizers have been able to use technology for webinars instead of having public gatherings. Many organizations are also sending out information on how offices are going to be staffed. Most all are going to have telephone or computer access as a way to communicate with the public but may restrict or close offices for preventative purposes for several weeks and longer in some instances.

Cancellations and postponements will be updated at www.hpj.com on a regular basis.

This will be an evolving situation and readers and event organizations are encouraged to send emails about events to [email protected]. 

Cancellations and postponements

The Ogallala Aquifer Summit in Amarillo that was originally scheduled March 31 to April 1 has been postponed amid COVID-19 concerns. It will be rescheduled and when it the new dates will be posted at ogallalawater.org/2020-ogallala-aquifer-summit.

Central Plains Dairy Expo was scheduled for March 24 to 26 has been canceled. The I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course has traditionally lead the Expo on Tuesday of Expo week. As one of the premiere dairy beef events in North America, it has been transitioned to a webinar for 2020 to minimize any possible exposure to the virus. It will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 24 with a one-hour break from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Additional information is available at https://extension.sdstate.edu/event/2020-dairy-beef-short-course.

Ag Day events on March 24 in Washington, D.C., are officially canceled. Events include: Celebration of Agriculture on the National Mall; proclamation event at USDA; celebration of Ag Reception; and collegiate Hill visits. March 24 will still be proclaimed National Ag Day and there are tools available for social media, print, radio and TV. Visit https://www.agday.org/promote to access tools and more information.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is canceling its in-person pesticide applicator testing sessions through the end of the month. The affected in-person meetings were scheduled to take place March 23 in Oskaloosa; March 24 in Garner, Orange City and Waterloo; and March 25 in Altoona, Muscatine and Rock Rapids. Additional pesticide applicator certification testing sessions may be offered at partner locations later in the year. Visit iowaagriculture.gov/pesticide-bureau for a list of alternate pesticide applicator certification testing dates and locations.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service is postponing its scheduled April 20 to 23 trade mission to the Philippines. The mission may be rescheduled later in 2020.

The University of Wyoming Extension has suspended all in-person events through March 31, which includes all 4-H-related in-person activities. County extension offices will remain open and maintain established office hours, dependent upon circumstances within a county. Residents with questions can contact their local extension offices. County extension office contact information is at www.uwyo.edu/uwe/county/index.html.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has canceled its Spring Legislative Conference scheduled for March 31 to April 2.

Kansas Cattlemen’s Association announced the regional cattlemen’s meeting originally scheduled for March 24 in Marysville has been postponed, and details will be announced later.

Kansas State University Extension is strongly encouraging cancellation or postponement of all in-person outreach across the state until March 30. As a result, the upcoming Beef Quality Assurance trainings scheduled for March 24 in Fort Scott will be postponed. This training will likely be rescheduled for the fall. If you have any questions, contact John Sachse on the Kansas Beef Council staff at 785-273-5225 or [email protected].

The Carnegie Cotton Conference scheduled for March 25 in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, the Noble County Cotton meeting at Perry scheduled for March 26, and the Cotton update meeting at El Reno scheduled for March 26 have been canceled.

The Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates, Des Moines, Iowa, will discontinue public tours and will close the facility to the public until at least April 15.

The Grain Elevator and Processing Society’s International Executive Committee has postponed GEAPS Exchange 2020 until July 16 to 19. It will still take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The annual conference traditionally draws thousands of attendees, and was scheduled to take place March 21-24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Agri-Pulse has postponed its Ag & Food Policy Summit to June 22 at the National Press Club. For more information or to register, visit https://www.agri-pulse.com/21718-2020-Summit.

The Kansas Dairy Industry Conference scheduled for April 1 in Garden City, Kansas, has been canceled.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has postponed or canceled several events. The Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam in Olathe on March 23, the Focus on Food Safety training in Manhattan March 24, the Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam in Topeka on March 25 have been canceled. The Agribusiness Development Workshop in Manhattan on March 25 and the Livestock Export Seminar in Hays on April 3 have been postponed. Rescheduled events and updates will be added to www.agriculture.ks.gov/events.

Public Lands Council cancels 2020 Legislative Conference originally scheduled for March 30 to 31 in Washington, DC. The cancelation also includes the group’s Common Ground Hill briefing and video premiere scheduled for April 1.

The 7th annual NoCo Hemp Expo Denver event has been rescheduled to Aug. 6 to 8. It was originally scheduled for March 26 to 28.

The Nebraska Corn Board has canceled the meeting scheduled for March 24 at UNL East Campus and March 25 at The Embassy Suites Lincoln.

The Oklahoma Ag Day at the Capitol event scheduled for April 14 has been canceled.

All American Paint Horse Association-sponsored events—the Youth World Show, the Open and Amateur World Show, the Eastern and Western National Championship Shows—are still running as scheduled. However, APHA has eliminated qualifying requirements for the 2020 Open & Amateur World Show. Follow APHA.com for updates.

The Mid America Farm Expo, Salina, Kansas, March 24 to 26, has been postponed until further notice. Updated information will be provided at www.salinakansas.org.

The Kansas Water Office’s Cover Crop Field Day at Circle C Farms near Healy, Kansas, scheduled for April 2 has been canceled.

University of Missouri Extension has changed the Sheep and Goat Workshop scheduled for April 9 in Stockton, Missouri, to an online format. The workshop will still be held on April 9 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The workshop will be done online via Zoom and the link to the workshop will be given to participants upon registration. The revised cost of the workshop is $20 per person. Register online at https://extension2.missouri.edu/events/sheep-and-goat-production-workshop. Contact the Cedar County MU Extension Center at 417-276-3313 for more information. 

The Great Bend Farm and Ranch Expo, scheduled for April 8 to 10, in Great Bend, Kansas, has been canceled.

The National Organic Standards Board meeting will be held live online via webinar on April 29 and April 30. Watch the NOSB Spring meeting webpage for details on the times and agenda. 

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture announced it is postponing the 2020 Master Gardener Conference, originally scheduled for May 14 to 16 in Jonesboro.

Two events scheduled for April at the Livestock and Forestry Station in Batesville, Arkansas, are being postponed. The April 3 bull soundness clinic and the April 21 “Focus on Heifers” field day are being postponed as a precaution to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Due to COVID-19, the Southern Plains Range Research Station has postponed its annual Chilcott Conference. Information will be sent out when another date has been selected. 

The National Conservation Foundation and the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts announced the cancellation of the 2020 NCF-Envirothon to protect the health and safety of the general public and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The annual event was slated for July 26 to Aug. 1, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The 2020 Governor’s Agriculture Summit scheduled for July 17-18 in Sioux Falls is postponed until a later date.

With the health and safety of attendees and their families top of mind, the Colorado Livestock Association Board of Directors has decided to cancel the 2020 CLA annual meeting.

AgriGold’s Specialty Products Conference that was scheduled for June 24 has been canceled due to an abundance of caution during the current unprecedented times.