Exhibits thrive at 43rd National Agricultural Fieldays

Mystery Creek Events Centre opened its gates for New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays in Hamilton today. Into its 43rd year, Fieldays has long been a staple in the farming calendar with visitors keen to check out the industry’s latest technologies and methods. Today was no different with a solid 26,467 through the gate, a 1% increase on the previous year and typical for the first day of the event.

Ag Fieldays Chairman Warwick Roberts felt visitors were optimistic, suggesting confident spending; “ The past couple years have been focused on surviving, the outlook is promising this year, so productive investments and deferred maintenance are likely to be addressed.”

This year, the 1,400 site exhibition sold earlier than previous years as agricultural businesses secured space earlier to ensure their presence at the nation’s largest agribusiness event.

This year’s Premier Feature ‘Breaking barriers to productivity’, set the tone for a range of exhibits based on addressing productivity challenges. Premier Feature sponsor, Primary Wool Cooperative, put the well known kiwi fibre on parade with a Wool Expo display featuring the Just ShornTM brand.

Primary Wool Cooperative is a 36 year old, innovative farmer-owned organisation, with 50% ownership of Elders Primary Wool Limited. PWC’s exhibition aims to educate consumers about the benefits of wool, promoting it as an ultimate natural fibre. Their interactive wool exhibition centres around an imposing sculpture, titled ‘Wool in Capture’ and demonstrates the process of wool; from farming to market.

Onsite Housing, located at M34, is a must see during Fieldays for those needing a self sufficient on farm building. Onsite Housing’s buildings are entirely off-the-grid with no reliance on public utility services; electricity, phone and water. This year’s Fieldays has already proven to be a valuable investment with 27 buildings sold on the first day, with 9 to one buyer. By comparison, Fieldays 2008 saw only 28 of their houses sold over the four day event. Their buildings can be built anywhere around New Zealand and are perfect for rural accommodation with the 3brm model from $143,000.

Medical and health care for farmers and rural towns is now more accessible with the Mobile Surgical Unit. The bus provides public patients that are referred via the District Health Board with day surgery in rural locations. The 20-metre-long operating theatre accommodates for various types of surgery from orthopaedics to dental work. The Mobile Surgical Bus is located on sites D50, D52 and M38.

With over 1,000 exhibitors at Fieldays, there is plenty to explore. The 2011 New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays will continue until Saturday at Mystery Creek Events Centre, 10 minutes south of Hamilton. Developed by not for profit, the National Fieldays Society; the Fieldays event is proudly supported by strategic partners; ANZ and the University of Waikato. Tickets to the event can be purchased at the gate or online www.fieldays.co.nz .