Wairarapa farmers and those wanting to join their ranks are certainly not being neglected when it comes to information.
Yesterday, the Platinum Primary Producers conference, to be held over three days, started at the Copthorne Solway Park with a full-on programme titled Front Foot Farming.
After being welcomed by Allflex Australasia's general manager, Shane McManaway, those at the conference will hear from Primary Industries Minister David Carter before launching into a wide-ranging programme on all aspects of farming.
Presentations will include the challenges in animal welfare, the role played by women in agriculture and the global importance of agriculture and where New Zealand sits in that regard.
Mike Petersen, of Beef and Lamb New Zealand, will talk on a 2020 view of farming and where he expects farming will be by then.
Tomorrow presentations will cover issues such as the agricultural opportunities that exist between New Zealand and China, an Australian's views on the challenges facing that country's beef industry, the role of Maori in farming and a novelty talk titled A Little Sheep, A Little Rugby, co-hosted by former All Black Richard Loe. Genetics, animal welfare and the need for positive communication will feature on Friday, prior to the conference closing just before midday.
Next month, two farming workshops are due to be held in Masterton highlighting the major challenges farming faces in bridging the generation gap.
Hosted by ANZ New Zealand, covering the ANZ Bank and the National Bank, the workshops are part of a series to be held throughout the country.
With the average age of farmers now well over 50 and rising, the promoters of the workshops believe many of the next generation are being forced into careers other than farming because they cannot find at least $1 million now needed to get on to a farm of their own.
Six workshops have already been held in various parts of the country and more than 200 would-be farmers have attended.
ANZ New Zealand's commercial and agri managing director Graham Turley went into banking after he was turned down by his then bank when he applied for a loan to start out as a farmer.
Now he is in charge of agri for the country's largest rural lender.
ANZ New Zealand has decided to double its farm start-up package, providing up to $120 million in lending to help young farmers take their first step in agriculture and progress towards farm ownership.
Mr Turley said since the launch the response to the initiative had been "overwhelming" with about 100 new farmers expected to take up packages by the start of the new farming, financial year.
The farm start-up package allows for up to $50,000 of an applicant's loan to be unsecured, and for free business and personal accounts for the first year of the arrangement being made.