The "Thanks for Farming" event goes Wednesday and Thursday at Exhibition Hall at Westerner Park (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Sheldon Spackman

Agricultural Trade Show

Thanks for Farming Tour arrives at Westerner Park

Nov 10, 2020 | 4:15 PM

Organizers of the “Thanks for Farming Tour” at Westerner Park are confident they can host the event safely under current conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event goes Wednesday and Thursday inside Exhibition Hall and aims to celebrate persistent farmers and ranchers and all their accomplishments during a difficult year in 2020.

With the cancellation of the Agri-Trade Equipment Expo, Thanks for Farming spokesperson Jeremy Matuszewski says many in the industry felt there was still an opportunity to host something smaller instead.

“The (15-person) gathering limits don’t actually affect trade shows,” says Matuszewski. “But what we have done is limit the number of tickets available as one of our safety precautions so that we can make sure that we are following all of Alberta Health Services guidelines. Alberta Health has been really instrumental in guiding us throughout this process and how we can hold a safe trade show.”

Matuszewski says additional safety measures will include temperature checks and health screenings for everyone entering the building, a cap shield for every individual, mandatory face coverings, hand sanitizing station, isles with one-way traffic, and pre-registration to eliminate line ups and offer contact tracing.

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Matuszewski describes the Thanks for Farming Tour as a chance for farmers and ranchers to get off the fields and see what’s new in industry tech and innovations.

“Our trade show has over 75 exhibitors,” says Matuszewski. “We have some education sessions, but really, we want to create an environment where they can network, see the products, talk to other farmers and just continue doing business, albeit differently and on a smaller scale. We’re expecting between 300 and 500 a day.”

He notes that the event is also a fundraiser for local cadets programs and the Smiles Thru Lindsey foundation.

“I hope that everyone that comes to this event realizes that although we are in the middle of a pandemic,” continues Matuszewski. “By working together, we can all stay safe and we can continue to do business and move on with our lives while taking precautions.”

Westerner Park CEO Mike Olesen says hosting the Thanks for Farming Tour in place of Agri-Trade is a good way to offer a modified show for producers under current COVID conditions.

“It’s also important from an exhibition point of view to show how shows may be ran safely, and we’ve done a lot of work on that,” he explains. “It’s good to get it to at least this scale so that we can continue to test out those measures to ensure safety, but also ensure a positive experience for those that come.”

Olesen reveals that a number of show managers from right across Canada are planning on attending to see how it can be done safely.

“It’s exciting but the pressure is on at the same time to make sure that we do handle those measures in a positive way,” he admits. “It’s a balance, you need to manage it from one end, ensuring people have a good experience, but ensuring their safe as well. But I’m confident, we have a great relationship with AHS and they’ve vetted a number of our plans and I think we have a good standing with them, and in most cases, we’re usually exceeding their standards and feel confident at that level.”