Sungold Field Days: Confidence shines as exhibitors gear up

POSITIVE years for sheep and beef as well as more certainty for Murray Goulburn suppliers are being said to all add to farming confidence in the lead-up to this year’s Sungold Field Days.

Annual event: This year’s Sungold Field Days will be held from February 7 to 9. Picture: Dannika Bonser

POSITIVE years for wool, sheep and beef as well as more certainty in the restructure of Murray Goulburn all add to farming confidence in the lead-up to this year’s Sungold Field Days, according to its chairman.

Retired dairy farmer Tony Rea has been field days chairman for more than 30 years, with the Allansford event now in its 37th year.

He is confident about agriculture in southwest Victoria.

“Wool, sheep and beef have been going better the last couple of years and dairy has always been very stable despite Murray Goulburn’s little hiccup the last couple of years,” he said.

“It (dairy) now looks like it will be stable into the future, which is good.”

Mr Rea said more certainty about MG’s restructure and even Fonterra’s recent processing investment announcements helped to increase dairy confidence in the region.

The field days have long been a barometer of local farming confidence.

Next month’s event will be attended by agricultural exhibitors including dairy processors, artificial breeding companies and machinery dealerships, as well as lifestyle stalls, plenty of entertainment and local food. Axe throwing and woodchopping demos will also return this year.

Mr Rea said exhibitor numbers were firm on last year’s field days, but more exhibitors had requested extra space.

More than 200 exhibitors will attend the three-day event, which takes place opposite the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory.

Mr Rea said the extra room was needed because many businesses had new products to introduce to the field day audience, while others were just bringing more equipment for their display.

He encouraged farmers to learn as much at the field days as possible, taking the opportunity to draw on agricultural expertise.

“Take a walk around the site as much as you can,” he said.

“(Farmers should) take in all the new technology available and think about its application to their farm within their means.”