A Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) spokesperson has shared that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has been in consultation with Agri-shows in Northern Ireland. The motivation being to supply kickstart funding for the upcoming 2022 show season.
As with most public events during 2020 and 2021, all local shows across Northern Ireland also had to cancel their events. And according to the Northern Ireland Shows Association (NISA), financially, “all of these organisations are on fumes. If they do not get government support now, many of them will not be able to host an event in 2022. And, if this does turn out to be the case, they will be lost forever.”
In this regard, NISA has been liaising with Minister Edwin Poots, and show societies have been asked by the minister’s officials to complete a pro forma detailing the costs they will incur this year.
NISA says that it takes between £18,000 and £40,0000 per year just to keep shows standing still, as costs such as rent and insurance still have to be paid even when events are not staged. NISA adds that thousands of voluntary stewards assist to put on a great spectacle for the farming industry across 14 shows, year-in, year-out, without getting the recognition they deserve.
Show organisers are hopeful that funding support for the 2022 season can be secured in the near future.
LSL News.