International Dairy Week cancelled

International Dairy Week has been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.

The organising committee announced they had made the "hard call" to cancel the event, which was due to take place in Tatura from January 17 to 21 next year, on Saturday afternoon.

IDW director Brian Leslie said it became clear it would be "impossible" to run next year's event, due to uncertainty around the re-opening of borders and restrictions in Victoria.

“Unfortunately, with the current situation, we just could not meet all the restrictions required,” he said.

“I hope that we're out of all these restrictions by the time January comes around . . . But to run the event we need to start and we just can't plan it and put it together in the current situation.

“It's disappointing that we've had to make this decision. But unfortunately, our hands are tied.”

Despite being forced to cancel the event, which draws thousands from across the country, Mr Leslie said the committee remained committed to running the event in 2022.

“(We are) certainly committed to running the event in 2022. And we certainly look forward to seeing you all there,” he said.

“When I started the event (in) 1990 with Daryl Brown, my business partner at the time, we never dreamed that it would go on for this long. It was going to be every three years.”

“We've had tremendous, tremendous shows. We've had record-breaking sales. We've had wonderful seminars, we've had tremendous speakers.

“The networking of people from around the world for the Australian dairy industry has been second to none. And without you, we couldn't have done it.”

This year's event at Tatura Park saw 800 cows and 175 exhibitors compete across three days.

Greater Shepparton City Council estimated the 2019 event injected $2.2 million into the local economy.