Full steam ahead for Australian National Field Days 70th year
The Australian National Field Days (ANFD) is celebrating its 70th year in 2023 and according to organisers it is shaping up to be one to remember.
The annual Field Days serve as a platform for showcasing the latest agricultural technologies, products, and services, making it a not-to-be-missed event for farmers, rural businesses, and agriculture enthusiasts.
Already about 450 exhibitors have booked sites for the three-day event at the Borenore on October 26–28, which means close to 1,000 companies will be represented at the site.
This year the Feature Exhibit is TAFE NSW, who will be on hand to discuss the variety of agriculture courses available for those looking to find a job, change careers or start a business in the sector, as well as short courses for stakeholders to upskill to better manage and maintain their properties.
Administration Manager of the Australian National Field Days, Jayne West, said interest in the 2023 event is extremely strong, with a positive start to the season and a significant increase in the number of new exhibitors.
“We are very pleased with the number of exhibitors booking sites and the number of new companies keen to display with us for the first time,” Jayne said.
“Ag-tech is now such a big part of technology for farmers, so we've got an ‘Ag-tech Alley’ set up with 20 exhibitors… monitoring services, apps, drones, all tech stuff.
“Something else that’s really big is tiny homes and modular homes. There's a lot of interest in those at the moment with people putting granny flats in the back houses or having extra accommodation on-farm for Airbnbs and things.”
But more than just a large outdoor shopping experience, Jayne said exhibitors will be conducting demonstrations on site and there will be a whole range of informative and educational talks over the three days.
The popular fashion parade will return for the first time since 2019 with Wendy Henry from Booful adding her expertise and flair to the event. The parade will feature a display of clothing from exhibitors at the ANFD, and a special section will focus on garments made from natural fibres like cotton, hemp, wool, and alpaca.
The CWA cooking demonstrations will also feature hemp as the product of the day.
The official opening will be held on Friday, October 27, where the NAB Award of Excellence, The Land Machine of the Year and Cabonne Council Best Local Exhibitor and Best Agriculture Exhibitor will be announced.
The Dogpro Sheep dog trials will run daily with 60 dogs competing in the open and novice trials with the final 10 dogs fighting it out for first place on Saturday, October 28.
“The whole region benefits from the event,” Sam Connell, Chairman of the Australian National Field Days, said. “With many accommodation and restaurant venues around the Central West showing strong bookings.
“Millions of dollars will be pumped into the economy during the three-day event,” he concluded.
The Australian National Field Days will take place October 26–28 at the Borenore site, 15 km west of Orange. Gates open 8.30am to 5pm daily. Tickets are on sale online via 123 Tix or at the gate