By Tessa Strang, Farmers Weekly/AgriHQ cadet
Early summer weather was nowhere to be seen on day one of the much-anticipated 2022 Fieldays. Heavy rain was dominant for most of the day, which resulted in Mystery Creek having an empty feeling about it – unexpected for the popular agricultural event.
However, reduced numbers on day one didn’t mean a lack of action.
One of the very first events to take place was the announcement of the forestry and wood processing ITP (Industry Transformation Plan) at the forestry hub, which is a newly established component of the national event. This announcement was delivered by the forestry minister himself, Stuart Nash, alongside Damien O’Connor, Minister for Primary Industries.
“Out of all the restructures I have seen, this is the most comprehensive transformation,” O’Connor said.
Another hub seeking plenty of attention was the careers hub. The organisation ‘Opportunity Grows Here’ were facilitating this hub, with NZIPIM, Go Dairy, Plant Futures and a variety of tertiary education providers showcasing what opportunities they have to offer for the younger generation interested in a future involving agriculture.
North Island meat company Greenlea showcased their highly popular bone broth selection, which drew the attention of many consumers who were intrigued by the new product in-market.
Ravensdown and Lincoln University’s collaboration on the recently developed “Ecopond” was on display in the innovation hub, among many other creative innovations. The commercialisation of this project is soon to be underway following successful trial runs. Two significant impacts of this innovation due to the addition of iron sulfate include 90% reduction in methane emissions and 99.9% reduction in E.coli concentration
While the capital costs of implementation aren’t cheap, however, Ravensdown believes it to be a recommendable solution for emission reduction targets.
There’s still much to explore at Fieldays over the next three days, and the sun has made an appearance as well, which is sure to bring more feet through the gates as farmers and industry professionals seek out the latest trends and innovations in the food and fibre sector.
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
