This is the week when thousands of farmers usually travel to Saskatoon for the Western Canadian Crop Production Show.

The cancellation of this year’s event due to COVID-19 leaves a big void—both for farmers and the companies that sell equipment or provide crop production services.

A lot of business can still be done on-line or over the phone, but agricultural commentator and journalist Kevin Hursh (who also farms at Cabri) says it is not the same as a large trade show.

“You can’t really replace that social interaction and the people you meet or the things that catch you eye which draw you to the variouis booths. I don’t think we have yet figured out a way to catch that in a virtual nature, so it does create a void in the industry,” Hursh said.

Pulse crop companies usually release their new production contract prices this week in conjunction with the trade show. However, many have posted numbers earlier than usual.

“I think it is because those companies know they need time to reach producers and put those options in front of them,” Hursh said. “It is also a very buoyant market with the price of new crop canola available to lock in at the $11.50 to $12 bushel range, some of the other crops realize they had better get their offers out to compete for some of those acres. It would have been a very interesting year if there was a Crop Production Show.”

While there is no trade show at Prairieland Park, about a dozen farm organizations will hold their annual general meetings online. CropSphere will run Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Farmers can register for one or more meetings, which will include market outlook presentations More information can be found here.