Penn State’s Ag Progress Days canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Penn State’s annual Ag Progress Days has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers announced Monday.
The exposition — which was scheduled for Aug. 11-13 — is one of many staple summer events that have been canceled due to the virus. Despite Centre County’s “green phase” status, Ag Progress Days Manager Jesse Darlington said the decision is in compliance with Gov. Tom Wolf’s order that prohibits gatherings of more than 250 people.
“Although many areas of the state and country are beginning to reopen after the onset of COVID-19, the prospect of inviting up to 50,000 people — who come from all over Pennsylvania and even from out of state — was too much a risk given how easily this virus spreads,” Darlington said in a statement. “With the uncertainty of what the situation will look like in August, we don’t want to encourage the development of a coronavirus ‘hot spot’ that could lead to further restrictions on businesses and schools here and elsewhere.”
While Ag Progress Days happens in August, Darlington said the early announcement will help commercial exhibitors prepare financially for the missed event. Exhibitors who already paid registration fees will have the option of a full refund or have their fees applied to next year’s show, which is scheduled for Aug. 10-12.
“Our commercial exhibitors largely pay the bills for Ag Progress Days, and we want to support them however we can,” Darlington said. “As an essential, life-supporting industry, agriculture is critical to Pennsylvania’s economy and the health and well-being of its citizens.”
Staff in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension are looking to highlight research and demonstrations that would have taken place at the event online.
“As part of Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant university, we regret that we’re losing this opportunity to connect in person with the citizens and businesses that we serve every day,” Darlington said. “But in these extraordinary times, it was a decision that had to be made, and we’ll plan to be back again in 2021 with an event that will be as educational and rewarding as ever.”
