Fieldays 2012: Another Success!

As the gates closed on the 44th New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays, it was obvious that the biggest event on our farming calendar was another success.

The largest agricultural showcase in the Southern Hemisphere saw over 128,000 visitors flock to Mystery Creek for the four-day event - a nine per cent increase in attendance on last year and a triumph for organisers and exhibitors.

I opened Fieldays on Wednesday and enjoyed a full day at the event before returning on Friday with the Prime Minister for another big day. What I noticed as we wandered around was the positive attitude of many farmers. They are confident about their future and they know they’re producing a superior product that’s in demand all around the world. This is great to see.

I spoke to a German visitor and asked him whether this was his first visit to Fieldays. He told me he’d been each year for the last 20 years which shows great commitment and demonstates that Fieldays are much more than a New Zealand event!

Fieldays are a great opportunity to show how good our primary producers and manufacturers really are. If you want to see the engine room of our economy running at full steam, I really encourage you to book a trip to Mystery Creek for Fieldays 2013.

2011 Fieldays helps break barriers to productivity

As the 43rd New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays drew to a close, it was obvious that the biggest event on our farming calendar had once again been a huge success.

The four-day rural showcase was a triumph for the organisers, with huge numbers going through the gates of Mystery Creek.

The theme of this year’s Fieldays was ‘Breaking Barriers to Productivity’. This is all about coming up with solutions to obstacles that stifle productivity in the primary sector.

This was evident on many of the stands with organisers reporting new products and smart ideas driving record sales for some. It will be interesting to see the final sales results when they come through.

The 2011 Fieldays has been a great opportunity to show how good our primary producers and manufacturers really are. Our farmers and growers are among the world’s most innovative and efficient, our commodity prices are at record levels, and our agribusinesses are on top of their game.

If you wanted to see the engine room of our economy running at full steam, a trip to Fieldays this year would have given you a first-hand look.