Big Dutchman's business unit Poultry Housing Equipment will not participate in this year's VIV Europe 2003 to take place at Utrecht (Netherlands) in October. On behalf of the Big Dutchman International GmbH, Andreas Böske, Publicity Department Manager, has withdrawn the company's exhibition stand reservation and has officially cancelled their participation.
"This decision has been made considering the interests and wishes of our customers, since we think that it would be unreasonable to make poultry keepers from all over the world get together in a place right in the heart of the source of danger this autumn", explains the world-market leader from Vechta-Calveslage, Germany.
Several renowned companies from this country and abroad have also cancelled their participation.
Although the efforts to stem the fowl plague now seem to take effect gradually, the serious thread of Avian Influenza still lingers on - a fact which has impressively been demonstrated by other epidemic outbreaks in the course of the past years (e.g. in Italy), writes Andreas Böske in his letter to the organizers of the VIV Europe 2003.
Provided that the lease contract with the exhibition company can be cancelled by mutual agreement, Big Dutchman will donate 50 % of the stand rent not charged to the Dutch solidarity fund "Stichting Solidariteit Pluimveehouderij" set up in aid of those farmers affected by AI.
"Do not take any unnecessary risks"