Strengthening Relationships, Sharing Knowledge and Supporting Regional Resilience

Food & Fibre Gippsland recently attended the East Gippsland Field Days, held on 10–11 April 2026 at the Bairnsdale Aerodrome, as a proud partner in one of the region’s most important agricultural events.

The Field Days continue to play a vital role in bringing together the East Gippsland farming community, along with industry groups, service providers and regional organisations — creating space for connection, learning and conversation at a grassroots level.

Why Food & Fibre Gippsland Attended

Food & Fibre Gippsland’s participation was focused on three key objectives:

Collaborating and networking with producers and industry partners across East Gippsland
Sharing knowledge and programs that support farm business resilience, including drought preparedness
Listening directly to farmers, to better understand current pressures, priorities and emerging needs

Being present on the ground is essential. Events like the East Gippsland Field Days allow direct conversations that help ensure Food & Fibre Gippsland’s programs and advocacy are informed by real‑world experience, not assumptions.

“Being at the East Gippsland Field Days gave us a valuable opportunity to listen directly to producers about the challenges they’re facing and the support they’re looking for. Those on‑the‑ground conversations are critical — they help ensure our programs are practical, relevant and shaped by real farm experiences.”
— Brodie Anderson, Food & Fibre Gippsland

Building Relationships and Growing Membership

Across the two days, the team — Simon Johnson, Brodie Anderson and Rod Hayes — had many meaningful conversations with growers, producers and community members. These discussions helped strengthen existing relationships and also led to new Food & Fibre Gippsland members signing up, expanding the network of producers engaged with our work.

Sharing information about Food & Fibre Gippsland programs enabled producers to better understand what support is available and how regional collaboration can help strengthen individual businesses and the broader sector.

Supporting Business and Drought Resilience

A key theme throughout the Field Days was the ongoing challenge of business resilience, particularly in the face of climate variability, rising costs and market uncertainty.

Food & Fibre Gippsland’s presence provided an opportunity to:

Discuss drought resilience and preparedness practices
Share insights into regional initiatives designed to build capability and adaptability
Learn directly from farmers about what they are seeing on their own properties and what support they value most

These conversations are critical in shaping future activities, partnerships and advocacy efforts across Gippsland.

Challenges and Learnings

While the event delivered strong engagement, there were also some challenges. Windy conditions and ongoing fuel cost pressures impacted attendance for some producers, and there was limited representation from larger horticulture producers in East Gippsland Shire.

These learnings are valuable — highlighting the importance of accessibility, timing and continued outreach to ensure all parts of the sector can engage.

The Value of Showing Up

The East Gippsland Field Days reinforced the value of face‑to‑face engagement. By showing up, listening and sharing knowledge, Food & Fibre Gippsland continues to build trust, strengthen regional connections and ensure Gippsland producers are well‑linked into wider networks and opportunities.

We thank the organisers of the East Gippsland Field Days for delivering another important regional event and look forward to continuing to work alongside growers, producers and partners across East Gippsland to support a strong, resilient food and fibre sector.

Connecting With East Gippsland at the Field Days