thumb|270px|An agricultural show parade

An agricultural show, county show or farm show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibited), a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment. The work and practices of farmers, animal fanciers, cowboys, and zoologists may be displayed. The terms agricultural show and livestock show are synonymous with the North American terms county fair and state fair, and the UK county show.

Agricultural shows tend to be important events for sharing different agricultural practices or techniques, learning about new technologies or celebrating achievements by producers through competitions.

History

The first known agricultural show was held by Salford Agricultural Society, Lancashire, in 1768.

Events

thumb|Cheddar cheese competition.

Since the 19th century, agricultural shows have provided local people with an opportunity to celebrate achievements and enjoy a break from day-to-day routine. With a combination of serious competition and light entertainment, annual shows acknowledged and rewarded the hard work and skill of primary producers and provided a venue for rural families to socialise. City shows also provide city people with an opportunity to engage directly with rural life and food production.

Agriculture shows are often enlivened with competitive events, including sheaf tossing, show jumping, food competitions, and tent pegging. Demolition derbies and rodeos are popular in the US and campdrafting and wood chopping are often held in Australia.

Studs are generally available for a fee.

Livestock shows

thumb|left|Border Leicesters lined up for the judge

A livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard. Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits, llamas, and alpacas. Poultry such as chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, and pigeons are also shown competitively. There are also competitive shows for dogs, sheepdogs, and cats.

Prize-winners at agricultural shows are generally awarded inscribed medals, cups, rosettes or ribbons. The National Museum of Australia has a rare collection of medals documenting the history of agricultural shows and rural industries across Australia.

In the United States, agricultural fairs are a significant exposure source for swine influenza. Certain strains of swine influenza can be transmitted from pig to pig, pig to human, and human to human; swine influenza infection does not always show signs of illness.

Field days

Related to a show is the "field day", with elements of a trade show for machinery, equipment and skills required for broadacre farming. Field days typically do not involve livestock, show bags or sideshows, but may include events such as ploughing competitions not usually associated with shows due to the larger space required. In some communities in northern England Field Days (or Club Days) have lost their agricultural character and have become community celebrations.

The events are good sources of agricultural information, as organizers can arrange for guest speakers to talk on a range of topics, such as the talk on the yellow-flowering alfalfa at the South Dakota field day. Pecan growers were given a talk on insect control by an entomologist at a recent field day at LSU AgCenter's Pecan Research/Extension Station in Shreveport, La.

A Landcare survey conducted in 1992/93 revealed that field days in Australia have a high value among local farmers. New Zealand's National Agricultural Fieldays is held annually in June at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton, New Zealand, and attracts 1,000 exhibitors and over 115,000 visitors through its gates. Smaller shows, held annually in New Zealand's towns and communities, are generally called agricultural and pastoral shows (A&P shows).

List of agricultural shows

Asia

China

  • China International Agrochemical & Crop Protection Exhibition [https://www.cnctef.com/] – Shanghai

India

  • KISAN Fair [https://www.pune.kisan.in/] – Pune, Maharashtra

Japan

  • Agri Week Tokyo [https://www.jagri-global.jp/hub/en-gb/about.html#]

Malaysia

  • Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agro-Tourism Exhibition (MAHA) [https://mahaofficial.my/?] – Serdang, Selangor

Saudi Arabia

  • Mazayen al-Ibl

Taiwan

  • Asia Agri-Tech Expo & Forum [https://www.agritechtaiwan.com/en-gb/taiwan] – Taipei

South America

Argentina

  • Expoagro [https://archive.today/20241031024415/https://www.agritech-uk.org/events/expoagro-2022/] – San Nicolás de los Arroyos
  • La Rural – Buenos Aires

Brazil

  • Agrishow [https://www.agrishow.com.br/] – Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo
  • AgroBrasília – Brasília
  • Bahia Farm Show [https://bahiafarmshow.com.br/] – Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia
  • Expodireto Cotrijal [https://www.expodireto.cotrijal.com.br/] – Não-Me-Toque, Rio Grande do Sul
  • Expointer – Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul
  • Expozebu [https://www.expozebu.com.br/] – Uberaba, Minas Gerais
  • Megaleite [http://www.girolando.com.br/] – Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
  • Show Rural Coopavel [https://showrural.com.br/] – Cascavel, Paraná
  • Tecnoshow Comigo [https://www.tecnoshowcomigo.com.br/] – Rio Verde, Goiás

Colombia

  • Agroexpo [https://agroexpo.com/] – Bogotá

Oceania

New Zealand

  • Canterbury A&P Show – Christchurch
  • Fieldays – Hamilton
  • National Agricultural Fieldays
  • Royal New Zealand Show

Australia

Incomplete list of shows in Australia:

North America

Canada

  • Ayer's Cliff Fair – Ayer's Cliff, Quebec
  • Brome Fair – Brome, Quebec
  • Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta
  • Canadian National Exhibition – Toronto, Ontario
  • Canadian Western Agribition – Regina, Saskatchewan
  • Farm Fair – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
  • Grande Prairie Stompede – Grande Prairie, Alberta
  • Hants County Exhibition – Windsor, Nova Scotia
  • Pacific National Exhibition – Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Royal Agricultural Winter Fair – Toronto, Ontario
  • Royal Manitoba Winter Fair – Brandon, Manitoba
  • Schomberg Fair – Schomberg, Ontario

Jamaica

  • Denbigh Agricultural Show : The Denbigh Show is the oldest, largest and most dynamic agricultural show in the English-speaking Caribbean, and one of Jamaica's most iconic events, and was held for the first time in 1952. The Denbigh Show has achieved the name for the Caribbean's premier agricultural event, and epitomizes wholesome family entertainment and attracts over 80,000 patrons to the event annually.

Mexico

  • Expo Agroalimentaria Guanajuato [https://www.expoagrogto.com/] – Irapuato, Guanajuato

United States

Africa

South Africa

  • Bathurst Agricultural Show – Bathurst
  • Rand Easter Show – Johannesburg
  • The Royal Agricultural Show www.royalshow.co.za – Pietermaritzburg
  • Nampo [http://www.grainsa.co.za/pages/nampo/nampo-home] – Bothaville

Kenya

  • Nairobi international trade fair – Nairobi

Europe

Belgium

  • Agribex [https://www.agribex.be/en] – Brussels
  • Interpom Primeurs – Roeselare

Denmark

  • Roskilde Dyrskue [https://www.roskildedyrskue.dk/] – Roskilde, Denmark

Finland

  • OKRA [https://okramaatalous.fi/in-english/] – Oripää, Finland

France

  • Paris International Agricultural Show – Paris
  • Salon international du machinisme agricole – Paris
  • Salon du fromage et des produits laitiers – Paris

Germany

  • Agritechnica [https://www.agritechnica.com/en/] – Hanover
  • Berlin International Green Week (IGW) – Berlin
  • EuroTier [https://www.eurotier.com/en/] – Hanover

Ireland

  • National Ploughing Championships – various sites
  • Ballinasloe Horse Fair
  • Banagher Horse Fair
  • Clifden Show
  • Tullamore Show

Italy

  • EIMA International [https://www.eima.it/en/] – Bologna

Netherlands

  • GreenTech Amsterdam [https://www.greentech.nl/amsterdam]

Norway

  • Dyrskun [https://www.dyrskun.no/dyrskun-english] – Seljord, Norway

Poland

  • Agro Show [https://www.agroshow.pl/agroshow/en]– Poznań

Russia

  • Agrosalon [https://agrosalon.ru/en] – Moscow
  • YugAgro [https://yugagro.org/en/] – Krasnodar

Spain

  • F.I.M.A. International Fair of Agricultural Machinery – Zaragoza

Turkey

  • Agroexpo [https://en.agroexpo.com.tr/] – Izmir

United Kingdom

thumb|The main ring at the Royal Cornwall Show in June 2004

thumb|Sheep judging at the Devon County Show 2010

See also

  • Agritourism
  • Lakeland Shows
  • State fair
  • Trade fair
  • Horse Show
  • Royal Windsor Horse Show

References

  • Guide to UK County Shows & Fairs