East Coast Farming Expo set to go ahead at Wairoa A&P Showgrounds next week

A working dog training demonstration at the East Coast Farming Expo in Wairoa last year. Photo / Supplied.

It's all go for next week's East Coast Farming Expo, albeit with plenty of attention on ensuring everyone is kept safe.

The 2022 East Coast Farming Expo is a two-day mid-week gathering, held annually at the Wairoa A and P Showgrounds for sheep and beef producers.

The event goes ahead with the support of the Wairoa Pandemic Planning Group and Wairoa Emergency Operations Centre and there are robust plans in place to run it within the red traffic light restrictions.

Lincoln University adjunct professor Dr Jacqueline Rowarth will kick things off in person on day one (February 23), with her talk on whether pastoral farmers are an endangered species.

Rowarth was a "great staple" at the Expo, event director Dave Martin said.

"She's been coming for many years now and every time she comes and talks it's just so relevant. She's got her finger on the pulse at so many levels, it's amazing," he told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

Rowarth will be followed by a panel discussion about the opportunities for the next generation of farmers.

Gisborne farmer and dog trialist Allen Irwin along with Central Hawke's Bay's Guy Peacock will be demonstrating techniques for training working dogs.

This will be complemented by a presentation from Eastland Vet Service's Adele English who will talk about working dog health and nutrition.

There will also be a full contingent of trade exhibits including everything from manufacturers, inventors and retailers.

However, South Island-based seminar speakers will Zoom in rather than attend in person, due to red traffic light restrictions.

The event was a great opportunity for beef and sheep farmers to get off the farm and connect with agribusiness, Martin said.

"We target a very specific audience which is the sheep and beef farmers from Central and Southern Hawke's Bay through to East Cape."

The Expo couldn't have gone ahead without the full support of the Wairoa community, Martin said.

"We're very lucky, right from the council, they've been great with their support through their pandemic group, through to the local community really geeing us along and saying - hey, it's worthwhile, please carry on with it."

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Perhaps the most support came from exhibitors who were "really looking forward" to the event, especially after the pandemic had cancelled many others, Martin said.

"One of the biggest drivers has been the feedback from the exhibitors saying - do what you have to but please carry on and put an event on - because they're just not getting that chance to get in front of people these days."

All those attending the Expo need to show a vaccine pass and the event has been divided into two defined spaces – the seminar marquee and trade exhibit area.

"By separating our exhibits and our seminars we manage to get through under the Covid Red light restrictions," Martin said.

Mackay asked if perhaps Martin should focus on carbon forestry, considering the concerns in the region about the practice taking over from sheep and beef farming.

Martin was unfazed by the question.

"We're a bunch of pretty stoic roosters on the Coast here, so we'll be sheep and beef farming until there are trees on our boundaries."

The East Coast Farming Expo will take place on February 23-24. Find out more about the event here.