The Dowerin Machinery Field Days well known pre-event celebration, the Bringing Dowerin Downtown Lunch will be held earlier this year.
Traditionally held on the eve of the iconic two-day field days, the Bringing Dowerin Downtown Lunch will be held on Friday, July 26 at Crown Perth - one month before show on Wednesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 29.
Field Days general manager, Danielle Green, said the previous date for the lunch allowed travellers to attend the events in one trip, but for exhibitors, the Tuesday was typically spent setting up.
The new luncheon date will allow for more senior management from field days exhibitors to network.
Holding the lunch on a Friday meant those who were travelling to attend had the weekend to stay in the city if needed.
The lunch features two panels with speakers from across the agricultural sector, including WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis, National Farmers' Federation president David Jochinke, Central Wheatbelt MLA Mia Davies and InterGrain director and Moora farmer Tracy Lefroy.
To open the conversation, Ms Green said Cain Radford, global manager for CNH Industrial, would link back to tradition as the field days celebrates its 60th year.
"We've showcased the machinery that's transformed farming through our field days, so we thought it would be really great to open with Cain to talk about the future of machinery, and pay homage to the past," Ms Green said.
Each year the theme of the lunch assesses the present and looks ahead into the future.
"You're looking at what's happening now - what is building opportunities for the future - and then addressing challenges that the industry is experiencing," she said.
"I want the conversation to be quite futuristic."
Ms Green said the luncheon was a great way to promote the region as a whole.
"There are a lot of diversification opportunities, yes we're very much agricultural, but in the renewable space in particular, is where a lot of significant investment is coming into," she said.
"Let's use the power of collaboration, the Wheatbelt is a very big area, but if everyone is working together, that is the only way we are going to achieve what we need to achieve."
Planning for this year's field days is well underway, with the completion of two new builds which will revitalise the event's layout.
"We're well ahead of schedule and feeling really comfortable, confident and excited," Ms Green said.
"There's been a fair bit of change over the last couple of years with rezoning, but we feel quite settled this year."
Ms Green expects the new infrastructure, a multi-purpose shed at the site's north west corner, will build some excitement.
She said more exhibitors were putting more thought and creativity into their stalls and displays.
"That's going to be quite exciting this year, seeing bigger and better displays," Ms Green said.
She encouraged businesses that wanted to have a stall at the field days to register as soon as possible, as exhibitor registrations close next Wednesday, April 17.
Perri Polson
Perri is an agriculture journalist with Farm Weekly. Born in regional Victoria, Perri developed a love of regional and rural news at a young age, and is now passionate about advocating for the agricultural industry. Her interests include science, agronomy, livestock and food production.
Perri is an agriculture journalist with Farm Weekly. Born in regional Victoria, Perri developed a love of regional and rural news at a young age, and is now passionate about advocating for the agricultural industry. Her interests include science, agronomy, livestock and food production.
