Wairoa show set to be tech hub

Broadening its scope beyond the traditional summer show, Wairoa’s A & P Society will launch the East Coast Farming with Technology Expo over two days next April at its showgrounds in the town.

President Dave Martin says the society wants to provide the best opportunities for local farmers. “Historically the A & P Society has paved the way for initiatives and forward thinking and continues to promote and encourage excellence in the rural sector.”

He says East Coast farmers have had to travel to either Manawatu or Mystery Creek to attend field days to see technology and innovation, and to interact directly with developers. “Farmers on the East Coast miss out a lot so the expo is an opportunity for them to interact directly with specialist industry innovators, but in a more intimate environment and closer to home.”

He and the society’s event manager, Sue Wilson, say the outdoor exhibits and demonstrations could include GIS mapping, yarding systems, electronic animal identification, soil/vegetation mapping, machinery, finance, irrigation, water and feeding systems.

“Basically [the event will show] anything from throughout the country that is innovative and available now for farmers to use,” says Martin. “The information and demonstrations will be specialised to the types of farming on the East Coast, predominantly sheep and beef,” says Wilson.

“Field days such as Mystery Creek have a strong focus on dairying because that is what is strong in Waikato. We want to provide something specific to the business needs of East Coast farmers.”

The society also expects to hold information seminars in its recently refurbished pavilion. Topics could include farm succession, farm accounting, health and safety, the Plan Change 6 effect on hill country farming and alternative farming systems on the East Coast.

April fits the timing of other annual regional field days and is a quieter season for farmers, making it easier for them to attend, the organisers say.

“This is a whole other audience for exhibitors and presenters to tap into and in a much more specialised environment than at larger field days,” says Martin.

“The whole point of the expo is acknowledging the importance of face to face interaction for learning about new technology and making it affordable and achievable for these two groups to come together. There are huge opportunities for technology uptake, especially in sheep and beef farming.”