Farmers’ health hub launches at 2026 East Coast Expo
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
The East Coast Farming Expo will return in February 2020 for a fifth round of innovation, interaction and excellence.
The two-day event, hosted by Wairoa Community Development Trust, will be held at the Wairoa A&P showgrounds on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 February 2020.
“If you’re an East Coast/Hawke’s Bay farmer looking for the solutions to keep your business moving forward, or an agricultural innovator wanting to spread your message, this event is perfect,” said event manager Sue Wilson.
“There are huge opportunities for technology uptake, especially in sheep and beef farming, and we’re excited about the expo’s potential and being able to host it in our community.”
Some of the trade exhibits at the event will include solar energy, weather data mapping, new yarding systems, soil and vegetation mapping, feeding systems, GIS mapping, irrigation, genetics and communication systems.
Wilson says the expo is an ideal opportunity to launch new products and release new research and technology, straight to a target audience. “Farmers and landowners can explore new ideas and have their questions answered in an exclusive and specialised environment.”
Event director Dave Martin says the event provides the opportunity for national businesses and East Coast farmers to mix.
“It’s where innovation and technology knowhow can be shared with those who will benefit from it the most.”
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.

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