Twitter makes it clear how much people involved in agriculture have in common, all over the world.\u00a0 Most share similar values and interests and have the same sense of humour.<\/p>\n
Websites, blogs and social media<\/strong> now help innovations spread in leaps and bounds.\u00a0 Previously, any number of people would be simultaneously working on similar projects, unbeknownst to one another.\u00a0 Whereas now information can be shared in an instant, results discussed, and progress hunted along immediately.<\/p>\n A plethora of annual agricultural and rural events occur right through the year, all over the world.\u00a0 In-person attendance is ideal but time and money doesn’t allow endless travel – however now it is possible to glean some useful insights from these events, online.\u00a0 Especially via Twitter.<\/p>\n Some of the best known and most sigificant rural events around the world are listed below, in the months they usually occur in.<\/strong> I will continue to add other events as I find out about them.\u00a0 Only the largest events have been listed – ie\u00a0 events that are state-wide, national or international – and regular. This is not <\/em>because ‘bigger is better’.<\/em> It’s just not practical to list events of every size, as there are simply far too many.\u00a0 There are pros and cons of large and small events – if travelling, I recommend attending a variety of sizes.\u00a0 A small one-off field day might be the most personable and rewarding event you ever attend! Near the bottom of this page there are some suggestions on how to find other rural events, of all sizes.<\/p>\n My @Agri_Events Twitter account<\/a> also contains news regarding worldwide rural & agricultural event<\/strong>s (congresses, conferences, forums, workshops, seminars, field days etc); Twitter agribusiness forums (agchatoz, agchat, agrichatUK, agchatirl, etc), rural awards & grants (Nuffield Farming Scholarships, Churchill Fellowships, RIRDC Rural Women’s Award, etc) and ag education.<\/p>\n Please do let me know if you have an additions to suggest – to help other travellers and to help event organisers publicise their event.<\/p>\n UK – Oxford Farming Conference,<\/a> Oxford<\/p>\n USA – National Western Stock Show<\/a>, Denver (Colorado)<\/p>\n USA – American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention<\/a>, (in a different state each year)<\/p>\n CANADA – Advancing Women conference <\/a>(women in ag); Calgary (Alberta)<\/p>\n CANADA – Alberta Beef Industry Conference<\/a><\/p>\n FRANCE – Salon International de l’ USA – World Ag Expo<\/a>, (USA’s largest ag machinery expo), Tulare (California)<\/p>\n ARGENTINA – ExpoAgro <\/a>(Argentina’s largest and most comprehensive agricultural exhibition held on a 300 hectare farm in the heart of the pampas, over 4 days.)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – ABARES Outlook Conference<\/a>, run by the research arm of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.\u00a0 \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bThe Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics & Sciences (ABARES) provides research, analysis and forecasts regarding primary production.<\/span><\/p>\n CANADA – Calgary Stampede<\/a> (famous annual rodeo plus other livestock-related events), Alberta<\/p>\n UK – Crufts (the world’s largest dog show)<\/a>; Birmingham<\/p>\n UK – Shire Horse Society Show<\/a>; (the world’s largest gathering of Shire horses)<\/p>\n USA – International Livestock Congress, run by the International Stockman’s Education Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Sydney Royal Easter Show<\/a>; (Australia’s largest agricultural show; runs for 2 weeks. Floating date between March & April as it is attached to Easter.) Sydney (NSW)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Beef Australia<\/a>, (Australia’s largest cattle expo, held every 3 years. Next event in 2018); Rockhampton (Queensland)<\/p>\n UK – Balmoral Show<\/a>; Northern Ireland<\/p>\n UK – Badminton Horse Trials<\/a> (3 day event), Badminton)<\/p>\n UK – Royal Windsor Horse Show<\/a> (Multiple international equine events), Windsor Castle<\/p>\n UK – Open Farm Sunday,<\/a> (UK-wide)<\/p>\n NEW ZEALAND – NZ National Agricultural Field Day<\/a>; \u00a0(NZ’s largest agricultural show.)\u00a0Hamilton (North Island)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – The Australian Sheep & Wool Show<\/a>; (the largest wool sheep\/wool show of it’s kind in the world), Bendigo (Victoria)<\/p>\n HAWAII – Farm Fair<\/a><\/p>\n UK – International Cheese Awards;<\/a> (the biggest cheese fair in the world), Nantwich<\/p>\n UK – Royal Welsh Show;<\/a> (The UK’s largest agricultural Show), near Builth Wells (Wales)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Royal Queensland Show<\/a>; (“The Ekka”), Brisbane (Queensland)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Agquip<\/a>; (Australia’s largest agricultural field day [machinery oriented]), Gunnedah (NSW)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Sheepvention;<\/a> (sheep show featuring fine wool merinos and heritage breeds of sheep); Hamilton (Victoria)<\/p>\n AUSTRALIA – Lambex<\/a>; (A relatively new event, run by a committe of growers & staff from sheep industry organisations); SE Australia, various locations.<\/p>\n UK – English National Sheepdog Trials<\/a> (Many sheepdog trials are held in various locations across Britain, throughout the year.)<\/p>\n F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Equestre Internationale<\/a> (Equestrian events)<\/p>\n The Association of Show & Agricultural Societies<\/a><\/p>\n Many Australian primary industry organisations hold seminars\/forums, field days and\/or an annual conference.<\/p>\n The more closely settled the region, the higher the number of annual agricultural field days.\u00a0 Consequently, there are many run in the southeast corner of Australia and the few that are held in the north aren’t necessarily annual.\u00a0 In North Queensland, Westech Field Days <\/a>are held at Barcaldine every three years, and the North Queensland Field Days<\/a> at Townsville are held every two years.\u00a0 There is a comprehensive list of Australian Field Days, particularly in Victoria & NSW, on Trade Farm Machinery’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Five Nations Beef Alliance<\/a> – FNBA includes 5 national beef organisations; Australia’s Cattle Council<\/a>, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association<\/a>, America’s National Cattlemen’s Beef Association<\/a>, Beef + Lamb New Zealand<\/a>, and Mexico’s Confederaci\u00f3n Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas<\/a>.\u00a0 These 5 organisations represent producers of 30% of the world’s beef.<\/p>\nCALENDAR OF MAJOR AGRICULTURAL EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD:<\/h3>\n
JANUARY<\/h4>\n
FEBRUARY<\/h4>\n
MARCH<\/h4>\n
APRIL<\/h4>\n
MAY<\/h4>\n
JUNE<\/h4>\n
JULY<\/h4>\n
AUGUST<\/h4>\n
SEPTEMBER<\/h4>\n
OCTOBER<\/h4>\n
NOVEMBER<\/h4>\n
DECEMBER<\/h4>\n
SOME RECOMMENDED WEBSITES:<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
EUROPE:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
UK:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
IF YOU ARE VISITING AUSTRALIA OR AN AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLING AROUND OUR COUNTRY:
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\nNational industry organisation, representing a number of state and industry-specific primary producer organisations:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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State industry organisations<\/strong> (in annual conference order):<\/h4>\n
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Conservation-related organisations<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n
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Industry-specific grower bodies & commodity councils<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n
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Plus others<\/strong>, such as:<\/h4>\n
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AUSTRALIAN FIELD DAYS:<\/h3>\n
INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATIONS:<\/h3>\n
RURAL WOMEN’S SOCIETIES, IN AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS:<\/h3>\n