When the gates to the Eyre Peninsula Field Days swing open at 8am on August 9, it will herald the start of the largest biennial event held in the vast region and help celebrate the important role that agriculture plays in the economy. Source: Adelaide Now
The three-day event from August 9 to 11, is expected to attract about 18,000 people to Cleve for an event that captures the attention of a significant proportion of the region’s population.
While the main focus is on the latest innovations in farm machinery and agricultural equipment, there will be plenty else on offer to interest the large crowd.
Event organisers expect about 500 exhibitors from across Australia to be on display at the field days site on the outskirts of Cleve, in the heart of the Eyre Peninsula.
The population of close to 1000 people in the small farming town, 226km southwest of Port Augusta, is expected to grow to 6000 or 7000 people a day during the event.
Eyre Peninsula Field Days president Rex Crosby said the Cleve region is a strong farming area known for its good community and for being a fairly picturesque place to live.
“Cleve is an ideal central location for the EP Field Days as it draws people from across the region, from Ceduna to Port Lincoln and Whyalla, bringing them together to highlight ideas and different ways of looking at things,” Mr Crosby said.
“The field days is quite important to the whole Eyre Peninsula community, especially the farming sector, because it allows people to come together in one place and see what machinery and equipment is available.
“We attract quite a few exhibitors from Adelaide as well as a good number from Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and even a couple from the Northern Territory.”
It is the majority of the Eyre Peninsula’s farmers, who spend at least one day at the field days who gain most from the event.
Various grain marketers will also attend the field days, allowing farmers to talk to them and gain ideas about selling their grain, while key farming group, Grain Producers South Australia, will hold its annual general meeting at the event.
“The Eyre Peninsula is still mainly a wheat and barley growing region, but we will see a move towards more canola and a few more beans this year,” Mr Crosby said. “The other trend is towards more sheep because prices are good and there is money in merinos and crossbreds.”
