UPDATE - Saturday:
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As the news of the Wimmera Machinery Field Days cancellation sinks in around the region, residents have reacted to the news.
Tom Blair has served on the committee happens to be the oldest member.
Mr Blair said although the cancellation wasn't "what anyone wanted to do, it was wise".
"No one can be sure of how or when the virus is going to end," he said.
Mr Blair has volunteered for 40 years at the Field Days and holds some great memories of the event.
"Farmers love the event to keep up to date with what's going on in the region and the latest technology that is on its way," he said.
"It is also a social outlet for farmers. Over the years, quite often you meet up with one of two farmers who you might only see at the field days.
"It's the only time you might see them no matter the distance. They could be 100km away or 20km away. The field days is a chance to catch up in busy times."
Mr Blair said he was amazed at how far technology had come since he had started farming.
"The field days gives you an opportunity to see and learn about new ideas and machinery," he said.
"Technology and machinery have come a long way since I started farming - compared to what it is now it's just incredible.
"The field days have always been in March, after harvest and after most farmers have taken their much needed breaks.
"It gives farmers an opportunity to explore what is available while gearing up for a new season."
Mr Blair said being a member of the committee has given him great satisfaction for the four decades.
"After meetings and after the end of the field days it's been very fruitful to listen to the younger ones on the committee and what they are up to on their farms," he said.
"Occasionally a joke or two will go out from the older farmers.
"There are some characters within the farmers you meet throughout your life."
EARLIER - Friday:
Wimmera residents are set to count the economic cost of Wimmera Machinery Field Days not going ahead in 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But they say they can understand why the decision was made.
In announcing the cancellation on Friday, Field days manager Murray Wilson estimated it had close to $300 million dollars of agricultural machinery and equipment displayed on the site each year.
"Up to $50 million dollars in trade happens over three days," he said. "The Field days injects several million dollars into the regional economy each year. There will be hundreds of local businesses who in 2021 will not be able to receive much-needed revenue from the staging of the Field days next year."
Julian Fitzgerald, of Dimboola Road's Ploughmans Motor Inn, said the loss of the Wimmera Machinery Field Days 2021 would be "a kick in the guts for the whole town".
"It is our best week of the year, it can't be beaten," he said.
"Everyone charges, we charge $20-25 extra a night, and we do four-night minimums.
"Most people come up on Sunday and stay until Friday, so financially we cannot have a bigger week than that every year.
"We will survive, but it will hurt financially."
Mr Fitzgerald said in an average week during lockdown, around 70 per cent of his rooms were vacant.
READ MORE: Field days cancelled
Since the pandemic began, his wife Lisa has taken a job at the Read Street Medical Clinic.
"We have six electricians from Ballarat here this week to work on the protein processing plant (in Horsham South), but I'll have to close this weekend because there are no customers," he said.
Jenny Kirchner is co-manager of Kirchner Trucks, which has been exhibiting at the field days for a number of years.
She said the business would miss the opportunity to network and connect face-to-face with potential customers.
"You would sometimes get sales afterwards, but (field days) is more about putting it out there," she said.
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"If we have customers ring up about it, we are sort of a sub-dealer, so we don't strictly sell them ourselves, but we can help people with what they want to know.
"Clients will just have to look online."
Chris Delahunty, a farmer west of Murtoa, said he and the community would miss the social interaction of the event.
"I fully understand why it won't go ahead, given the climate we're in at the moment," he said.
"If we're going to purchase equipment, we do a lot of the research before field days, but it's mainly just a great networking day, so it's just frustrating for everyone."
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