THIS year the McIntosh & Son Mingenew Midwest Expo has been reduced to a one-day event, which has created the opportunity for the event to focus on community connections, rather than just business.
This year it will be held on Friday, August 12 at the new venue of the Mingenew Polocrosse Ground.
Mingenew Midwest Expo young farmers co-ordinator Billi Marshall assures everyone that the event being held on one day instead of two this year won't have any impact on the quality of the event.
"It's about connecting back with your manufacturers and suppliers and customers, and catching up with your mates, and checking in on everyone and giving back to the community," Ms Marshall said.
"Just because we don't run for two days doesn't mean that we can't have those conversations and connect with new people and learn new things or network and socialise in a really great fun atmosphere."
The committee has decided to go with a revised version of what the expo is about - instead focusing on "starting up the conversation'' on a variety of topics, such as mental health and farming practices.
This will take place in the Nutrien Ag Solutions presenter's tent, where a variety of different speakers from all across the globe are on the program to speak.
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"We want to give local producers an opportunity to ask all those questions that are pondering in the back of our minds at the moment," Ms Marshall said.
On the back of a format and venue change, Ms Marshall said some people were a little unsure at the start of the year, but she hopes she has reassured everyone that they are "still as keen as they were last year."
As the event draws near, she said the excitement was definitely building as things were starting to come together.
"Personally, I'm more excited about seeing this expo than I was last year," Ms Marshall said.
"I'm really excited to be able to put on an event where you can go and meet these people afterwards and have a conversation."
With the expo being on a Friday, the committee has decided to put more of a social spin on the event and is encouraging people to bond with their community, rather than the event being purely business related.
"If you want to buy a truck you go there, you look at the truck that you want to buy, and then you go home again, because you've got stuff to do," she said.
"You can enjoy that Friday afternoon, catch up with all your mates, and enjoy the weekend.
"It's not like you have to run off back to work as you usually would.
"So hopefully being on that Friday afternoon, it will just ease the pressure off everyone and they can come into town and really enjoy the afternoon."
Going with a one day event was described as a "safety net" for the expo, as the committee didn't want to cancel the event completely if they didn't have enough staff for the two-day event.
- More information: Go to mmwe.com.au
