East Coast Farming Expo back for 2024

The 2024 East Coast Farming Expo promises top-notch speakers, displays and networking opportunities.

The East Coast Farming Expo is back for 2024 after being cancelled this year due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Organisers said while there was a big push by the A&P Committee to have the Wairoa A&P Showgrounds ready, it simply wasn’t possible.

Event organiser Sue Wilson said the new dates would be February 21-22, 2024 and the new venue would be the racecourse at Wairoa .

Wilson said it was exciting to be locking in the dates and venue, along with a number of speakers, including television personality and mental well-being exponent Matt Chisholm alongside the former head of analytics for the NZX, Julia Jones.

Chisholm and Jones were engaging, inspirational and aspirational, Wilson said.

“Many of the topics being covered by them and our other speakers will focus on building back smarter to help farmers look forward after such a tough few years.”

She said she felt expo organisers owed it to the region to ensure a 2024 event given the challenges of the year.

There will also be trade sites, along with a working dog demonstration, a drone showcase and a digger challenge.

It was a chance for farmers to get off the farm, Wilson said.

“[They can] meet agri-innovators, see what opportunities are out there to help with their businesses, and catch up with other farmers from across the region.”

The expo is held mid-week so farmers can spend a day off the farm working on their businesses without losing the weekend, she said.

Hawke’s Bay regional councillor for Wairoa Di Roadley said she was looking forward to the expo.

“The council is proud to be part of the Farming Expo 2024 after it was washed out earlier this year.

“We look forward to meeting farmers and growers from the area, and talking about how we can help them build greater climate resilience into their operations”.

Wilson said the support the expo continued to receive was humbling.

“We had such a brilliant programme ready to go for the 2023 expo, including new events like the station and cadet challenges.

“I have had a chance to talk to stakeholders of late and that’s brought some exciting new ideas to the table for 2024.

“One thing is very clear – everyone is looking forward to the expo.”

The trust had still been busy, despite not being able to hold the 2023 Expo, she said.

“We have been focusing on some smaller events since the cyclone to connect and check in with our rural communities.

This included 16 Backyard BBQs in April throughout rural Wairoa, she said.

“It was important to take these events to each community where farming families, shepherds, neighbours and the wider community could come together and enjoy a night off the farm without needing to drive to town.”

The expo is run by the Wairoa Community Development Trust.

Trust chair Sefton Alexander said the event played an important role in connecting rural communities.

“Almost 12 months on from the cyclone we will be able to reflect how far we have come and the good work we have done throughout the district.

Online exhibitor and trade registrations for the expo can be found here.