SPECIAL REPORT: PRIMEX

Primex: supporting farmers and the community

Primex is back again and bigger than ever. This year the show will also support those affected by the recent devastating floods, and others in need.

-Words JEANETTE SEVERS Photography ORION MEDIA GROUP

Primex Field Days is in the heartland of the Northern Rivers region and every year the event is integral to bringing farmers, landholders and the general community together with a wide gamut of trade exhibitors and agricultural organisations.

Primex – a family owned brand – has been involved with the Australasian field days calendar since 1985.

The businesses and other organisations that are field days partners in delivering a raft of activities, from May 19-21 this year, are also integral community members. Not least of these is naming rights sponsor, Norco Cooperative, a local milk processing company supplied by 199 dairy farms and Primex’s agribusiness partner since the beginning, back in 1985.

Since 1895, Norco has remained an Australian farmer-owned cooperative. It is these types of synergies that underpin Primex field days every year.

SUPPORT AND RELIEF SERVICES

This year Norco and its supplier members – tens of thousands of people across the entire Northern Rivers region – are still coming to terms with the impact of extensive flooding that tragically led to the loss of homes and businesses.

The people in the committee behind Norco Primex are continuing to provide help and relief services, and the complex where the show is held very quickly became the hub for disaster relief agencies, coordinated by Local Land Services NSW.

An emergency fodder distribution centre, a helicopter base and a mobile veterinary hospital were established, alongside stockyards for rescued and injured animals. The hub has since expanded to include recovery agencies, including Service NSW as well as food and other charity relief organisations.

Bruce Wright, Primex Director, said the venue and facilities were an ideal site to be a base for disaster support and recovery, and were used in a similar way during and after the 2019/20 bushfires.

“We’ve provided an ‘open gate’ policy for recovery agencies, and provide as much support as we can,” Bruce says. “Fodder distribution happened very quickly. It went from a frontage of 50 metres to well over 100 metres of fodder being stored and distributed every day.

“Four helicopters were operating out of the site, delivering fodder by air to livestock and farms throughout the Northern Rivers region. In the first instance, the B-double mobile animal hospital operated from here,” Bruce says.

“Then we provided space for veterinarians in our pavilions so the mobile hospital could move on to the next area they could service.”

The Australian Defence Force also used Primex’s Casino site as a base for recovery and relief work.

BEHIND THE SCENES

In the meantime, the Primex committee has been working hard to develop this year’s field days activities. In recognition of the current extreme circumstances, entry tickets have been discounted when pre-purchased online and site fees have remained the same as 2018.

“Part of the evolution of this event has been planning and developing the field days alongside drought, floods, bushfires and the pandemic,” Bruce says.

“Security and cleaning costs have increased 300 per cent because of the requirements for operating field days under COVID conditions.

“But we’ve got very strong relationships and goodwill with our partners and exhibitors, and that’s been a large consideration for us to continue to deliver an event of this magnitude, while keeping it affordable for attendees.”

Norco Primex Field Days was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, but it returned bigger and better than ever in 2021. The committee is backing up last year’s successful field days with more exhibitors, more activities and new themes in 2022.

“We attract exhibitors who recognise they have a place at this event and are part of the good things that are part of our region as well,” Bruce says.

“We want to be known as a reference point for the best solutions to farmers. We also want to open up the conversation about attracting the next generation to agriculture and highlighting jobs along the supply chain.

Primex is the only heavy machinery event in northern NSW.

“The field days continues its long-held tradition of attracting and highlighting the latest innovations and technologies,” he says. “These may help many people impacted by the floods through the recovery process.

Bruce adds that with the field days being held in May, it’s an ideal time for farmers to research their end of financial year equipment, machinery and other purchases in one location.

CULINARY CONNECTIONS

Along with exhibitors showing the latest in drone technology and innovations using artificial intelligence, discussing alternatives to broadacre cropping, and showcasing beef genetics, the show is building a food culture that provides opportunities for local food growers and processors to meet chefs.

The Norco Primex Field Days provides an exhibition space for all livestock and highlights cattle through the Australian Beef Showcase event, including the Battle of the Breeds. The Showcase builds on previous on-the-hoof and over-the-hook feedback trials.

“We’ve continued to present a range of programs over the years that are relative to topics at the time,” Bruce explains. “This year we’re supporting stud and commercial cattle breeders to showcase their genetics and breeding.

“There’ll be presentations, panel discussions and networking events in the Livestock, Paddock to Plate, Business Innovation and Nourish Food Festival pavilions.”

Meat and Livestock Australia and Southern Cross University are key partners in providing presentations, panel discussion and networking events for farmers to attend. Topics for discussion can range from identifying opportunities for the next generation in agriculture, highlighting the diversity of jobs and careers along the supply chain, to discussing what carbon neutral farming means and how broadacre croppers could diversify their agribusinesses.

The Nourish Food Festival is where field days’ attendees will find chefs talking about food production and how to use local produce. A local butcher will bone out carcases and demonstrate how consumers can use all cuts of meat.

“We’re looking to target the broader audience, recognising we have two of the six largest cities within a short commuter distance of our event, and people in our region have a strong appetite to connect to food culture,” Bruce says.

“Our farmers and food producers can also talk to these chefs, about how they grow their food and hear from the chefs about how they would use that food.”

GIVING BACK TO THOSE IN NEED

Philanthropy is an important part of the business of the Norco Primex Field Days and an important partnership is with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. “It’s a tier one charity of Primex,” Bruce says.

This year, the Outdoor Leisure Show has been combined with the Home and Lifestyle pavilion, to raise funds from site fees that are part of Primex’s ongoing support of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

“We commit a donation that increases exponentially by the number of outdoor leisure exhibitors that attend Primex,” Bruce says.

“We always have a number of outdoor leisure exhibitors that attend, and the pavilion centralises a number of them.”

Another philanthropic gesture is the next generation program, where the committee provides free entry to registered schools and their students, when they attend the show on Thursday and Friday.

“About 600 students from 20 schools attended the field days last year,” Bruce says.

“These students have such an important part to play as the next generation of people working in agriculture. The exhibitors see an advantage in talking directly to these students and letting them know what type of trade, education, and other opportunities there are in agriculture.

Primex also offers family passes to enable people to attend the event in a fair and cost-effective way.

Close to Bruce’s heart are the Prostate and Breast Cancer support groups, two of the many not-for-profit and other groups that attend the Norco Primex Field Days every year. “We’ve got very strong relationships and goodwill with our welfare and local philanthropic groups, and we like to support them with space at our field days,” he says.

“If we’re approached by a charity or not-for-profit organisation, we provide them with assistance to be at the event. The very basic level of support for any not-for-profit group is to provide them with free space so that they can attend.”

AN ECONOMICAL INJECTION

The Norco Primex Field Days aims to host around 400 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors over three days. This makes it a pivotal event for economic value in the region, with hospitality and accommodation among the regional businesses that benefit.

“We are determined to make the event a success for them and our community,” Bruce says. “There are hundreds of businesses, family operations and organisations in our region which rely on Primex being successful, during the week of the event and in a ripple effect thereafter.”

Last year the Norco Primex Field Days injected an estimated $4 million into the region’s economy and generated more than $47 million worth of sales.

“By making sure Primex goes ahead this year, we can create access to products and services that are critically needed at this time,” Bruce says.

Primex will continue to support disaster relief, with various disaster relief agencies on-site at the field days. Farmers and landholders will also be able to speak directly with North Coast Local Land Services, and to employees of Service NSW, Richmond Valley Council and charity agencies about relief packages and financial support. •