The organisers of the Royal Highland Show have said that they are cancelling the show with “deep regret” due to fears over the coronavirus.

The show was scheduled to take place from 18 to 21 June and the news will disappoint breeders and farmers in the UK and Ireland.

The board of directors of the show said they had made the decision in light of concerns of the spread of the virus and asked for everyone in the agriculture industry to pull together “to get through this”.

We have a duty of care to everyone concerned

The Ayr County Show on Saturday 9 May is also cancelled.

A statement from the show committee said: “We have a duty of care to everyone concerned: directors, committee members, judges, exhibitors, competitors, contractors, volunteers and visitors and do not wish to add to the building pressure the NHS is already experiencing. We feel that we would be neglecting our duty to allow the show to proceed by having crowds of people in close proximity.”

The Royal Northern Agricultural Society has announced the postponement of the society’s Countryside Live 2020 event which was due to be held at Westertown, Rothienorman, on 31 May.

In response to coronavirus, NFU Scotland has taken the difficult decision to temporarily ask the membership to not hold any meetings or gatherings until further notice.

The National Beef Association has stated that the Beef Expo 2020, which was due to take place in Darlington on 28 May, has been postponed until later in the summer.