Tuesday, 19 June 2018 09:55

Fieldays positive

Written by Rural News Group

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Fieldays.

Concerns about Mycoplasma bovis don’t appear to have hit farmers’ enthusiasm for Fieldays.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor told Rural News on the first day of the event that he detected a very positive mood.

A total of 24,633 visited on day one to see the 1400 sites in this 50th year of the farming event now recognised as world-leading.

“For a start, the sky hasn’t fallen in with advent of the new government. I have been amazed at the number of people here,” O’Connor says. The better payout has helped and people are enjoying getting out to see what is always a better event because they try harder every year to improve things.”

Waikato farmer John Kneebone, a co-founder of the Fieldays Society, remarked to Rural News on the “amazing evolution” of Fieldays and said it never occurred to him in 1968 that it would become what it is today.

Farmers, exhibitors of equipment and services, and politicians of every hue have made Fieldays a must-attend on their ‘press-the-flesh’ calendar. – Peter Burke

More like this

Ballance Launches AI Assistant for Fertiliser Ordering

A new digital assistant is now helping Ballance Agri-Nutrients farmers speed up nutrient information and ordering.

Global Shocks Are No Longer Distant

OPINION: At Fieldays this year, one theme kept surfacing across the sector: global shocks are no longer something that happens “over there”. They are now translating quickly into local, farm-level impacts through increasingly complex and connected channels.

Evaluating Tech Providers Beyond The Product

As the dust settles after Fieldays, we're once again reminded of the sheer volume of technology now available to New Zealand dairy farmers.

SAM Machinery Reveals e-Spreader at Fieldays

Kiwi built to suit Kiwi conditions, the Fieldays reveal of its new 3-point linkage mounted e-Spreader will add another string to Hamilton-based SAM Machinery’s already extensive portfolio of fertiliser spreading tools.

New Broom

OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.

Featured

Palmerston North Shearer Sentenced After MPI Investigation Into Sheep Abuse

A Palmerston North shearer has been sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision after being found to have physically abused three lambs while shearing them.

Power Farming Launches Southland Joint Venture

Power Farming has launched a joint venture in Southland.

Meet the Need Delivers Record 1.27 Million Meals as Food Insecurity Hits One in Three NZ Households

Food rescue charity Meet the Need has released its 2025/26 Impact Report, revealing a record year of growth alongside a stark warning: demand for food support across New Zealand is rising faster than supply can keep up.

NZ Tractor Sales Up 10.7% in First Half of 2026: TAMA

As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.

NZ Avocado Sector Eyes Bigger Crop and New Export Markets

The avocado sector is entering the new season with a larger crop and positive market opportunities.

Keep What Works Working: NZ's New Resistance Campaign

New Zealand growers have always adapted to changing conditions, but one challenge is steadily gaining ground across the horticulture sector: resistance.