DES MOINES, IOWA – World Pork Expo, scheduled for June 3-5 in Des Moines, has been canceled, according to an announcement by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and its board of directors.

“While deeply disappointed to cancel this year’s Expo, NPPC’s board of directors unanimously agreed it was prudent to make this decision now,” said Howard “A.V.” Roth, president of NPPC and a pork producer from Wauzeka, Wis. “By eliminating COVID 19-related uncertainty surrounding the event, we allow producers and others across the industry to focus on the essential role we play in the nation’s food supply system at this critical time.”

World Pork Expo 2021 is scheduled for June 9-11, 2021, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

“We will do our part to support the nation’s transition back to normalcy and look forward to making next year’s World Pork Expo better than ever,” Roth said.

Last year, NPPC canceled the 2019 World Pork Expo “out of an abundance of caution” citing the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in China and other parts of Asia.

“While an evaluation by veterinarians and other third-party experts concluded negligible risk associated with holding the event, we have decided to exercise extreme caution,” said David Herring, 2019 president of the NPPC, at the time of the cancellation. “The health of the US swine herd is paramount; the livelihoods of our producers depend on it. Prevention is our only defense against ASF and NPPC will continue to do all it can to prevent its spread to the United States.”

The World Pork Expo, held annually in Des Moines, draws more than 20,000 global visitors over a three-day period.

For a full list of postponed and canceled events, click here.