The 2020 Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days have been canceled due to “rapidly changing conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Within days of our commitment to hold both farm shows, more than half the United States saw a significant spike in new cases of COVID-19. We have a multigenerational audience who travels from all across the country and around the world to attend the shows and, based on that, we felt it better to reconsider the traditional show for 2020 to prioritize the safety of all. Our community’s safety is our priority, always,” said events manager Matt Jungmann.

Earlier this month, Bayer Crop Science announced it would not be attending large events for the remainder of 2020.

“We’ve decided to not participate in or have our people attend any gathering that is larger than 12 people for the remainder of the year internally or externally. While we always value the chance to spend time with our customers, given the potential downside risks to a farmer’s health and the potential impact of that on their operations, we think there are better ways we can engage with them and minimize that potential risk for everyone,” the company said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Bayer Crop Science pulls out of farm shows and other large events for rest of 2020

According to an Agriculture.com poll conducted in May 2020, 44% of farmers replied they “definitely will” attend a trade show in the next 3 months while 39% selected  “COVID means I won’t be attending.”

In years past farmers have traveled to Iowa and Nebraska for these shows to see the latest in machinery and technology from manufacturers around the country. In 2019, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stunned the crowd by taking a phone call from President Donald Trump on stage.

• READ MORE: Perdue takes call from Trump with Midwest farmers