The name carries plenty of connotations but the feature exhibit at the 2022 Australian National Field Days could be the future of agriculture in the Central West.
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The agribusiness showpiece returns after a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the 69th edition since it began 71 years ago.
Manager Jayne West told the Daily the event would be going ahead despite the recent deluge that has hit Orange.
![Australian National Field Days manager Jayne West (L) and accounts manager Bree McMinn are ready for a big 2022 event. Picture by Jude Keogh Australian National Field Days manager Jayne West (L) and accounts manager Bree McMinn are ready for a big 2022 event. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131358433/bbea798d-6d2f-431f-9e78-d34ded0711f0.JPG/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We started planning in 2020 and got halted. Started planning in 2021 and got halted. This year we are going ahead, rain, hail or shine," she said.
"We're on a hill so that helps, it drains down to the corners. Some sites are wetter than others and we've spoken to those exhibitors and moved them onto drier sites. It will be interesting.
"We'll be cordoning off wetter areas in the carpark and we'll just take it as it comes."
Taking centre stage will be a left-field crop, with the Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance the feature exhibit.
Ms West said it was a 'big coup' for the organisation and that they were still fielding calls about exhibitor spaces.
"This year for the first time in our feature exhibit we have the Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance," she revealed.
"That's a big coup for us. Industrial hemp is pretty amazing, it's in so many things. Building blocks, rope, shirts.
"They will be talking about soil carbon and how it's a 90-day crop and the quick turnaround. They are wanting to talk to more farmers in the Central West interested in growing hemp.
"There's lots of new exhibitors which is really good. We're still getting enquires for exhibitor sites which is a first. Usually we've got them all locked in a good two or three weeks before."
But above all else, Ms West said she was grateful to just have the event back up and running.
"It took a big hit," she said of the cancellations.
"We're a non-profit organisation so everything we make goes into site maintenance nd running the event next year so obviously a hit like that is pretty major."
Australian National Field Dyas is held at Borenore (15 kilometres west of Orange) and runs 8.30pm to 5.00pm from Thursday (October 20) to Saturday (October 22).
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