The highly successful Federated Farmers Farm Day will return in 2010 under the theme, The Green Farmer. The 2010 event is confirmed for 28 March; the last Sunday in March 2010.

“Federated Farmers Farm Day is a great way for families to come and discover what a real working farm is like. I am pleased to confirm 28 March as the date for the 2010 event,” says Don Nicolson, Federated Farmers President.

“Federated Farmers is grateful to have the financial backing of the Sustainable Farming Fund and it’s appropriate our theme is, The Green Farmer.

“Non-farming New Zealanders don’t always understand the effort responsible farmers make in respect to the environment. It’s too easy to accept the skewed image perpetuated by some environmental groups for their nefarious reasons.

“Farm Day 2010 gives Federated Farmers and the agricultural industry a great opportunity to not just explain but show the general public what farmers do.

“The Green Farmer neatly encapsulates farming today and shows how farming evolves year-on-year. Federated Farmers relishes the opportunity to show families what we do to produce their food and fibre.

“Every good farmer invests energy and passion into ensuring their property is sustainable but progressive. That’s how agriculture has gone from feeding just a handful of people to in excess of six billion today.

“Federated Farmers Farm Day is a golden opportunity to show how farmers integrate environmental management into modern farming.

“We intend that Farm Day 2010 will be a collaborative national agricultural event involving Federated Farmers and related industry bodies. We really want to showcase the progressive, collaborative spirit that pervades farming in New Zealand,” Mr Nicolson concluded.

About Federated Farmers Farm Day 2010 – The Green Farmer

Federated Farmers Farm Day is based on the British Open Farm Sunday concept. Nationwide, farms will open their gates for the general public to provide an unsanitised, behind the scenes tour of modern farms.

The Green Farmer is the 2010 theme and the emphasis will be on explaining how farmers make decisions in respect to their environment. Farm Day 2010 will help explain industry guidelines, resource management and what best practice is. Farm Day 2010 will focus on how environmental management forms a big part of modern farming.

For the 2010 event, Federated Farmers is honoured to have the support of the Sustainable Farming Fund. The Federation is working to provide opportunities for related industry groups and farming organisations to showcase their work in modern New Zealand farming.

The Federation’s network of 24 provincial presidents is currently identifying potential farm locations and farm types for the 2010 event. In 2009, a total of 25 farms attracted over 3500 families from the Far North down to Invercargill.

www.farmday.org.nz will feature interactive driving maps to facilitate ease of access.