Fieldays from the air.
Prime minister Christopher Luxon has met New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive Richard Lindroos to discuss growing the event.
“It’s a fantastic event, I want it to get bigger and bigger,” Luxon said before meeting Lindroos at the Fieldays opening at Mystery Creek yesterday. (Wednesday)
Luxon was keen to discuss what could be built around Fieldays to help promote what he called the most carbon efficient farming in the world.
The PM has invited UK minster of state for food security and rural affairs Daniel Zeichner to next year’s Fieldays.
“We want to leverage that international exposure and help the government achieve its goal to double exports within the next decade,” Lindroos said.
Delegations from 15 countries are attending this year and Lindroos has invited more to attend next year.
“The vibe is really positive.”
Fonterra has announced a record opening forecast milk price of $10 per kilogram of milksolids for the 2025-26 season and strong beef and lamb prices are providing a much-needed boost to hill country farmers.
Giltrap AgriZone managing director Andrew Giltrap, whose agricultural dealership has branches in Cambridge, Ōtorohanga, Rotorua and Taupō, is attending Fieldays for the 42nd time.
His company is one of more than 1000 exhibitors promoting their wares to more than 100,000 punters.
“It’s a lot more positive this year,” he said. “It will be in the top 20 per cent of Fieldays.”
Mokauiti based Rotowai Angus farmer Natasha Cave said she was also smiling.
“We have a small shopping list,” she said. “Nothing too exciting, wet weather gear and work boots. Bit more than last year all I brought was a bottle of gin.”
Waitomo mayor John Robertson of Struan Farm near Piopio attended yesterday.
“The rural mood is good,” he said. “Farmers deserve a year of good returns – lamb, beef, and dairy returns are all much improved. We just need wool to come right.
“Last year I did spend more than I expected, purchasing a woodchipper. This year I don’t have a shopping list, but I will enjoy seeing some of the latest technology.”
Waitomo Pererndale sheep farmer and mayoral hopeful Janette Osborne said this would probably be the one good year in seven.
“It is really fortunate that the schedule and therefore the store price is so high – otherwise it would be a financial disaster,” she said.
Osborne will visit Fieldays to see the new technologies.
“We have nothing on our shopping list this year – being conservative knowing next year will be tight. Fortunately, we spent wisely in the past couple of years replacing big ticket items that could become dangerous. That gives us breathing room.”
Kaipaki dairy farmers Zane and Marie Kite, who lost tens of thousands of dollars of milk production in last season’s extreme drought, plan to attend Fieldays tomorrow, mainly because their daughter Zoe wants to go.
“Nothing on the shopping list,” said Zane. “The drought hurt here where others had a good season.”
