MADISON, Wis.— More than 60,000 people from around the world typically are in Madison this time of year for the World Dairy Expo. The event was scheduled for next week, but coronavirus canceled it for this year.
Typically an event to showcase the latest in dairy innovation. The 2020 Expo was canceled this year for the first time in its existence.
“It's a surreal feeling for sure,” said Katie Schmitt, communications manager for the Expo. “I mean World Dairy Expo has been in Madison for 54 years, would have been this year, so to not host a show is something that was never in our realm of possibilities before the pandemic happened.”
Last year the expo hosted more than 62,000 people from almost 100 countries.
Just because there's no in-person or virtual expo next week, doesn't mean the organization will sit idle.
“For us to not host an in-person event, we really need to make sure that we're still there to support our community and our industry in ways that maybe we've never done before in this format, but we're used to doing in person,” Schmitt said.
They will start on Sunday with a special message from the Expo staff and board. Then they launch a podcast on Tuesday for each day of the week. On Wednesday they announce the winners of the World Forage Analysis Superbowl. Thursday the Expo is endorsing an event spotlighting 10 new startup companies in the dairy tech world — that event is hosted by AgriTech Capital. Friday the Expo ha digital games like trivia to play with the community. Finally Saturday they will relive moments of Supreme Champions of past Expos.
“World dairy expo is much more than just an event, it's a family tradition for so many people, and there's definitely a lot of emotional connection to our show,” Schmitt said.
The Expo will be hosting and promoting most of these things on their social media channels next week — Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter. They will also have information about them on their website.
Schmitt says it was important for the expo to keep a presence next week.
“Trying to give them a space that still allows them to reach a global marketplace that they're used to finding at World Dairy Expo,” Schmitt said.
In the meantime, the staff is planning big things for the 2021 World Dairy Expo.
“Our staff and executive committees and other leadership are all working hard right now to plan new things, to re-imagine what world dairy expo can be, and maybe should be to support our industry,” Schmitt said.
The Expo is also putting its “Purple Cow” gift shop online for the first time.
10 percent of profits from the gift shop go to the National Children's Center for Rural Agricultural Health and Safety which is based in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
“They work with providing resources for farm families across the country to encourage and promote child safety, which is extremely relevant as we all go through more virtual school for kids, they're out on the farms more and having them safe is extremely important,” Schmitt said.
You can check out the gift shop online, here.