{"id":64622,"date":"2023-06-08T14:13:51","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T02:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/?p=64622"},"modified":"2023-06-12T10:57:47","modified_gmt":"2023-06-11T22:57:47","slug":"fieldays-ready-to-feed-farmers-souls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/news\/fieldays\/fieldays-ready-to-feed-farmers-souls\/","title":{"rendered":"Fieldays ready to feed farmers\u2019 souls \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

After a torrid season featuring cyclones, a wet summer and the effects of ongoing geopolitical and economic issues on commodity prices, Fieldays is a chance for farmers to get off the farm and recharge their batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fieldays chief executive Peter Nation said there seems to be widespread mental fatigue, and getting off farm for even a day could give the rural community the positive mental boost it needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four-day farming event starts this week after returning to its traditional mid-June window after organisers held a one-off summer event in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rural New Zealand needs something to feel good about after this tough 12 months, Nation said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo come to Fieldays \u2013 it\u2019s exciting, you can see some new things, connect with people, talk with people, and I think that\u2019s good for the soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople need to get off farm and get away from their businesses or homes and come and get away for a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nation said the most consistent feedback he gets from attendees is how much they have enjoyed their time at the event, even if it was only to talk to a machinery dealer or other exhibitor about a future purchase that will involve capital expenditure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The site at Mystery Creek is a hive of activity in the final few days ahead of its opening day on June 14 as exhibitors put the last touches on their sites and staff make final preparations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nation said there are more than 1100 exhibitors this year with numbers back close to 2017 levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe exhibitors have turned up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe feedback we have got is that people are excited we are back in June and that time of the year really suits them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming the weather forecasts are correct and there are four days of sunshine, Nation expects Fieldays to be well attended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe got some new exhibitors that haven\u2019t been there before. This year we have Italy exhibiting and they have never been.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He suspected it is a result of New Zealand\u2019s free trade agreement with the European Union, with Fieldays being seen as a trade opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other international delegations, particularly from Northern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe world\u2019s re-opening and what I do think covid told international markets is that they are looking for food quality and safety and a lot of them have come to us to look at pastoral farming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nation said a lot of that interest is driven by moves by governments and companies to reduce agricultural emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also new agricultural machinery being shown, including grape and potato harvesters. This shows how the event is maturing, said Nation; it can no longer be pigeonholed as dairy only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large contingent of portable home suppliers are exhibiting, indicative of the housing shortage and need for farm staff, especially in the horticulture industry, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s layers and layers of opportunity in the event.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The supply chain issues that many of the larger exhibiting companies have experienced over the past few years are also waning, giving them a lot more confidence in coming to the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fieldays will have a new Sustainability Hub, which will give guidance to farmers around what is an increasingly complex subject, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat hub is an inaugural one and I think over time it will be like the other hubs and just get bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given that it is an election year and with the event coinciding with a parliamentary recess, Nation expects it to be well attended by politicians across the political spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe politicians will be out and about and it gives the public of New Zealand \u2013 whether it\u2019s farmers, lifestylers or from town \u2013 [the chance to] run into a minister or MP and give your view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are not too many other events globally that allow that type of exposure, he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Just the ticket after a tough season, CEO promises.\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":64623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"Exhibitors are making their final preparations for what should be a busy week at Fieldays at Mystery Creek if the weather is fine.","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[48],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t