Flemington farmer Sam Robinson says the future is "fantastically exciting" for Hawke's Bay farming.
"New Zealand on a calorific basis only feeds between 18-20 million people and we are able to target customers who have very discerning tastes," he said.
The swing of export markets to a much-closer Asia market would only improve export prospects, he said.
"This is an audience which is increasingly looking for quality protein that is safe for their families.
"Growing food is the right place to be in the 21st century.
"To grow food you need land, you need water - which will be enhanced with the coming irrigation scheme, you need sunlight and you need technical know-how.
"We have plenty of these things in Hawke's Bay.
"We are blessed with a lot of people who are keen on pastoral agriculture and cropping. We have good infrastructure, good support agencies. It's what we do.
"I think Hawke's Bay in the next 15-20 years is going to be a really neat place to live because of that."
He had experienced the peaks and the troughs of the industry.
He said the'80s was a particularly bad time for farming.
"Interest rates were at record highs. We were kicked around.
"We were in the middle of the Rogernomics reforms and they were quite tough at times, farming-wise.
"It was a necessary process we went through, to readjust from subsidised agriculture to real-market agriculture - but we went cold turkey."
The low point for farming was a personal high point, in 1986 he was named Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year.
"I was farming with my family and I suppose the competitive nature in all of us encouraged me to enter - more than once. That was the year nobody else entered and so I won."
It was not the big event it is now.
"There was no big-prize event like there is now with the Gala Dinner. You were just rung, told you had won and hosted a field day. After the euphoria of winning you just got back to a winter."
But he said it was an outstanding episode.
"To be judged by your peers to be doing okay is encouraging.
"I know at the field day I acknowledged the support you get from a whole host of agencies, professionals, friends and others in the industry support you. Farming is very collaborative business. We are quick to share techniques, tips and information."
He was in his mid-30s at the time and already active in public service.
"I was on the catchment board. That morphed into the regional council and then I got involved in more commercial things, such as Port of Napier and Richmond meat company, and on it has gone."
He has served on the board of Farmlands, Agmardt and is on the board of AgResearch, Asure Quality and Centralines.
His corporate life has necessitated the appointment of a manager and worker for the home farm, but he staunchly identifies as a farmer.
"We are very lucky to have such a good team working for us, but I still have a dog and take an active interest in the farm. It is my principal occupation and investment but I do very little physical work on the farm now, just the odd weekend."
He said the Farmer of the Year title had helped him throughout his career.
"People who want a snapshot of you look at your CV and they see Farmer of the Year, and, of course, that rates well."
The Farmer of the Year competition, organised and run by the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, is widely recognised as the benchmark for farmers in the areas covered by the Wairoa District south of the Mohaka River and the Hastings, Napier and Central Hawke's Bay Districts.
Field judging for this year's competition starts on March 19, culminating in an Award of Excellence Dinner on March 29.
Tickets are available from Hillary Riches, phone (06) 878 3123 or email events@showgroundshb.co.nz.