Australian Dairy Conference, Fenner Conference on Environment delayed in 2022

Australia’s agricultural events calendar is filled with red cancellation crosses. Now, 2022 plans are being altered following fresh coronavirus outbreaks.

Australian Dairy Conference leaders Brendan Hehir and Ben Geard at the 2020 conference, which occurred weeks before Victoria’s first coronavirus lockdown. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Australia’s premier dairy event and an ecologically-focused food conference have both been hit with pandemic postponements.

Organisers of the Australian Dairy Conference (ADC) confirmed today that its 2022 event, scheduled for this coming February in Hobart, will be put on the back burner.

It comes as Victoria entered a week-long coronavirus lockdown last night and parts of NSW battle into their seventh week of restrictions.

ADC president Ben Geard said that the decision was a hard one but the board deemed the outcome to be the most responsible course of action.

“I think we have all been quietly hoping for some miraculous fix but the reality is we are currently facing a very similar scenario as we did 12 months ago,” he said.

“The position of ADC has always been only to proceed if we have absolute confidence we can do so.”

“We would love nothing more than to bring ADC delegates to Hobart in February.

“However the risk and financial implications for us as a not-for-profit organisation are significant and would have a considerable impact on the viability of our organisation and our ability to deliver our premier event into the future.”

Meanwhile, the Fenner Conference on Environment was also postponed today.

The Canberra conference into sustainable agriculture was originally scheduled for September 30 and October 1 but has been deferred until March 17 and 18 next year.

Fenner Conference co-organiser Jenny Goldie said the decision was made in light of the deteriorating Covid situation.

“Sydney has been in lockdown for weeks and more and more regions are affected because of the Delta strain,” Ms Goldie said.

“While Canberra has been largely Covid-free and not subject to lockdowns, nevertheless, there is no guarantee this would continue for the next two months.”

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