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Sponsor’s Message

 Rarely have the vagaries of this vast continent been so marked as they are today. When we last gathered for the Yorke Peninsula Field Days, we were battling a long drought and praying rains in the interior would spread south. Today we can look back on months of rain and its devastating affects.

To the east, people lost their lives and entire towns were washed away. Brisbane was brought to its knees. As the rain spread south, there were scenes of devastation in NSW.

On our very border, the water spread across parts of Victoria like never before.Thankfully, we were spared such heartbreak in South Australia. But our farmers still had to watch as valuable and long-awaited crops were damaged by heavy and untimely rain, at once a salvation and a curse.

Yet rural communities can look back on a trying decade with great satisfaction and yet again celebrate triumph against extreme adversity. Demand for commodities is strong at a time when the effects of the global financial crisis are still being felt.

The rural sector remains a crucial component of the South Australian economy. A good year outside the metropolitan areas is a good year for us all.

These field days are an important event in the calendar. It gives the farming industry an invaluable opportunity to show off its technology, machinery and many clever ideas. It brings together crowds of people from all over the region (and the state) to catch up, do some business and enjoy each others’ company.

Most of all, it gives us some valuable time to celebrate the endeavour and achievements of the people who work the land. Their lives may never be easy but they are always notable.

Melvin Mansell

Editor, The Advertiser