New Plymouth venue for annual dairy conference

The country's biggest annual dairying conference, the Bank of New Zealand Dairy Expo, which attracted about 6000 people over the two days it was held at the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth in February, will be a permanent fixture for Taranaki.

Sean Stephens, general manager of New Zealand Rural Press, the company behind its organisation, said that despite the event being held in the same week as the disastrous February floods in the Lower North Island it was regarded an outstanding success and attracted more people than the inaugural event staged in Hamilton in 2003.

"We have secured a commitment from the Bank of New Zealand as main sponsors for the expo for a further two years and with that in place we are able to confirm New Plymouth as the annual venue and the probable dates for 2005 as February 23-24."

He said support from the New Plymouth District Council had been a factor in the decision.

- NZPA