An estimated 26000 people could turn up to the Northland Field Days at the beginning of March according Northland Field Days president Lew Duggan.

Mr Duggan predicted 20% more people to come than the year before due to better weather and economic conditions.

The previous record for people attending the field days was 24,000 in 2010.

With commodity prices being high and stable farmers were in a better position than they were 12 months ago.

“Last year Northland was in the middle of one of the region's worst droughts,” said Mr Duggan. “This year we have had one of the best summers ever and prices for milk, meat and wool are staying high.”

According to Mr Duggan a good early season usually translates into a lot of people through the Northland Field Days gate.

“If the numbers increase and spending remains as high as last year then the event and exhibitors could be looking at the biggest event ever,” said Mr Duggan.

As well as expecting lots of entries for the $20,000 gate prize pool, organisers expected there to be an increase in the number of visitors from cities and towns at the event.

With more Auckland and Whangarei workers commuting from rural areas in the Kaipara and choosing to work from home the Northland Field Days has seen an increase in the number of urban visitors attending the field days.

With these changing demographics our event provides perfect opportunities for merging town and country and allowing further insight and understanding between our rural agriculture and urban sectors.

Organisers are confident there would be plenty of activities there for everybody to take part in as the committee had shaken up the layout and the planned events and demonstrations to make sure everybody was catered to.

“We're known as being the 'friendly field days' and being friendly means being all-inclusive,” said Mr Duggan. “There will be something at the Northland Field Days for every single person, no matter their interest or circumstances.”

And, with a few sites still available there were chances for businesses and groups around New Zealand to claim a small slice of the Northland Field Days.

Held on March 1 – 3 in Dargaville just two and a half north west of Auckland and 40 minutes west of Whangarei the Northland Field Days is arguably the largest regional agricultural event in New Zealand

For more information visit http://www.northlandfielddays.co.nz/

ENDS

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