Enhancing buying power

OVER 700 exhibitors will provide visitors to Farm World 2015 at Lardner Park, near Warragul, with a comprehensive range of products to inspect and to gather the latest information to make important buying decisions.
As always, Farm World field days, held this year from Thursday 26 March to Sunday 29 March, will provide a unique platform for farm machinery manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to launch new products and to showcase their range.
Exhibitors find it to be an essential venue to highlight changes in technology and to maintain and establish new contacts.
This year, a new initiative will enable prospective purchasers to trial an array of tractors, front-end loaders, telehandlers and utility vehicles within a controlled demonstration area.
A wide-ranging demonstration, presentation and activity program is again a feature of Farm World. Lots of machinery will be put through their paces and a lubricant specialist will be on hand at the BP Ultimate Pavilion to advise on lubrication matters.
Throughout each day, visitors can watch demonstrations of a portable sawmill, compost turner, plasma cutting machines, as well as the ever-popular ‘Jacksons View Animal Nursery’, ‘Animals of Oz’ and sheep dog yard trials.
There will even be a range of AFL Gippsland football initiatives. You can hone goal kicking and handball skills on a range of interactive activities. The Farm World website has details on the Farm World demonstration, presentation and activity program.
The theme for Farm World 2015 is ‘Farm Productivity’. This will focus on initiatives that farmers can take to improve their own farm productivity and will enable exhibitors who have products or services relating to the theme to feature them. An example of this is the new ‘Krone Comprima X-treme’ round baler distributed by Kubota Tractors Australia, that boasts increased efficiency over their current machines by about 10 per cent, producing more than 75 bales per hour.
The expanded pasture, grain and vegetable display area features a range of new grasses and fodder crops next to the previous proven varieties, as well as a new extensive range of vegetable and grain varieties.
A highlight each year is the ‘Farm World – Tractor and Machinery Awards’, which acknowledge significant developments in farm machinery in two classes – Best Powered Machine and Best Unpowered Machine. Last year the awards went to the Deutz-Fahr 7 Series TTV Agrotron and the McIntosh Double Round Bale Feeder.
‘Women in Agriculture’ is an important facet of the field days, recognising and celebrating the important role women play in agriculture. A special luncheon will be held from noon to 2pm on the Thursday in the Lardner Park Exhibition Centre and will feature interesting presenters including Dame Quentin Bryce AD, CVO, Governor-General of Australia from September 2008 until March 2014, and Natalie Collard, chief executive officer of the Australian Dairy Farmers.
Following the success of the last year’s theme of ‘Health and Wellbeing’ a permanent health and well-being area has been created at Farm World, focusing on initiatives that farmers and rural people can do to improve their health levels and quality of life.
About 20 health and well-being related exhibitors including The National Stroke Foundation, Gippsland Women’s Health, Donate Life, Weight Watchers and Latrobe Community Health will be located in the Lardner Park Exhibition Centre.
In addition, visitors can receive free dental assessments offered by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, hearing tests from the Wimmera Hearing Society and ‘Pitstop Men’s Health Checks’. A presentation on how to prevent strokes is also available.
The ‘Harvest of Gippsland’ will again be an important area for visitors at the northern sector of the Lardner Park Exhibition Centre. There is the opportunity to taste and purchase some of the unique food and wine produced in the Gippsland region.
The Farm World field days are run in conjunction with strategic partners, the Commonwealth Bank, Evans Petroleum BP and the Baw Baw Shire Council.
More information about the 2015 Farm World field days is available at www.lardnerpark.com.au