A Sustainability Hub is one of the fresh new features set to capture attention when Fieldays returns to its winter dates at Mystery Creek in June.
Fieldays, the southern hemisphere’s largest agricultural event, is the ultimate launch platform for cutting-edge technology and innovation.
“Sustainability is a strong focus for the society, and it’s fantastic to be collaborating with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on the Fieldays Sustainability Hub under the theme of The Time to Act is Now,” New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation said.
“We’ve made a strategic decision to use the scale of Fieldays to help educate both visitors and exhibitors so that future generations will benefit from improved sustainability practices for New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.”
The new hub will feature a select number of sustainability-focused organisations, including Toitū Envirocare, Wilderlab and RiverWatch.
Paula Knaap, general manager engagement at the EPA, said visitors will be able to explore sustainable farming research and science, urban and rural waste management, as well as water management and renewable energy.
“Embracing initiatives that protect and enhance the environment has a range of benefits, from longevity of land use through to resilience to changing climate conditions,” Knaap said. “Not only that, but those who purchase our goods – from multinational companies to individual consumers – are increasingly demanding evidence that they’ve been sustainably produced.
“We want to support farmers, growers and the consumer on their sustainability journey. By showcasing some of the initiatives underway in Aotearoa New Zealand, we can help everyone see that together we can overcome the enormity of the challenges, with innovation and collaboration.”
Alongside the hub, the Fieldays Sustainability Trail, accessed via the official Fieldays app, will lead visitors to other Fieldays exhibitors who are demonstrating sustainability practices, products and initiatives.
The Fieldays Sustainability Hub joins the Fieldays Innovation Hub, Fieldays Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub, Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing Hub, Fieldays Forestry Hub and Fieldays Digital Futures. The latter two were launched in 2022 as key focus areas for visitors to explore during Fieldays.
The new Fieldays Sustainability Hub will be located on site E38, on the corner of M Road and E Street, next to the Village Green.
Fieldays’ commitment to sustainability includes building the internationally recognised ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Standards into its management procedures.