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While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
According to the mayor of the Manawatu District Council (MDC) Michael Ford, the event brings a major boost to the economy of the whole of the Manawatu region, including the nearby city of Palmerston North.
The field days have been running since 1993 and Ford says he's been there every year, either in his capacity as an exhibitor and in other roles helping to promote the event, and in recent years as deputy mayor and now mayor of MDC.
This year, the event takes place at a time when the mood of the primary sector has moved into a positive mode with prices for sheep and beef now better than they have been for many years - and the outlook is also promising. The dairy farming and horticultural sector are also in good shape and exhibitors are hoping that this will translate into sales.
"The field days brings huge crowds to the district from all over the lower North Island - Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, the Wairarapa and Horowhenua/Kapiti as well as the local Manawatu/Whanganui/Rangitikei districts, and this is a big boost to the local economy," says Ford.
Over 27,000 people are expected over the three days and Ford says there is a certain pattern as to who attends when.
He says Thursday is mainly farmers and often those from regions such as Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa.
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He believes Friday is what brings local farmers along with the Feilding sale, so farmers can take one trip and go to both that and the field day.
"Saturday is like the National Fieldays and is when townspeople come along to see what country folks are up to, admire the huge machines and maybe to buy something that suits their needs in the urban environment," he says.
