Hear from the McIntosh and Son Mingenew Midwest Expo board chair Andrew Cosgrove

It is that time of year again when the town of Mingenew once again opens its doors and welcomes the McIntosh and Son Mingenew Midwest Expo to town.

In its 39th year of operating, 2022 will see a new side to the expo, hosting a one-day, agriculture-focused collaboration day on Friday, August 12.

Still in the shadows of COVID-19, and with an internal staff restructure, the Mingenew Midwest Expo board made the decision to refine the event this year by hosting a one-day event and getting back to “what Expo is all about”.

There will still be plenty on offer for patrons to enjoy at the event, including more than 60 trade displays, with many favourite exhibitors returning for another year.

Feedback from exhibitors has been very positive, with many excited to see how the Friday event develops and relieved by the slightly reduced workload.

With rapid grain market fluctuations, the flow-on effects of catastrophic events in Ukraine, the increase in fertiliser prices, and the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia — all while it is not yet known what the season may bring — efficiency has never been more crucial to farming operations.

There will be plenty of the latest cutting-edge technology and equipment on display, across a massive range of exhibits — from soil rejuvenation, grain production and weed control to water management, livestock wellbeing and performance.

The focus for this year is Collaborate, Communicate, Celebrate, which stems from the core values of Expo.

Regardless of only being a one-day event, creating a platform for businesses to promote their products and services, developing strong relationships between customers and suppliers, promoting the agricultural industry, giving back to our community, and providing a fun, social atmosphere to reconnect with mates and network are all things the Mingenew Midwest Expo aims to achieve.

Although we will be giving some of our traditional Expo activities a rest this year, including the livestock competitions, site awards, fashion show and cooking demonstrations, we are excited to unveil some new initiatives to our Field Day, with our Nutrien Ag Solutions Presenters Tent taking centre stage.

Expo will be delivering the biggest line-up of guest speakers to be seen at a Mid West agricultural event this year, with representatives travelling from across Australia for the opportunity to deliver at Expo.

We are set to welcome industry professionals, leading innovators, and market experts from numerous agricultural fields, with presentations and Q&A panels occurring throughout the day.

Other initiatives Expo is keen to introduce in 2022 are set to kick off after the business day is done. A key part of regional community events is the opportunity to come together and catch up with friends.

The farming sector can often be unforgiving, so in an effort to raise awareness of mental health and kickstart the conversations, we are humbled to have Brad Hogg from Lifeline WA and the inaugural ambassador for Grain Producers Australia’s Mates Mental Health Program joining us for our Main Event.

After the devastation of cyclone Seroja in April last year, for many of our locals, their patience and perseverance has been tried and tested. We hope to encourage people to engage in conversation and reach out if needed, and to put on an enjoyable night for the whole town.

Also making its debut in the Expo Bar is our Bottle in a Barrel project. With generous donations from residents, the Expo has put together new bins in an effort to recycle our bottles and cans from the event, with the Containers for Change funds being donated back to a local project or group.

With plenty of food variety on offer, and the Expo bar eskies filled, we look forward to hosting everyone on the Friday night, with Shanghai Dave and Donelle turning up the tunes from 7pm in our entertainment marquee.

It will be dinner and a show as we see the Young Farmers Challenge return, with this year’s competition taking place at 5pm in front of the entertainment marquee under lights.

Teams of four will battle it out in a series of six challenges, with those with the fastest time walking away with the victory. The winning team will go on to compete at the State final held at the Perth Royal Show later this year.

As we move to celebrate, it is always pleasing to look back on what the MMWE has achieved. We are proud to give back to our community each year, and 2021 was definitely a milestone for Expo donations.

In an effort to help restore some of the damage caused by cyclone Seroja — not only to Mingenew but the entire Mid West — instead of offering the traditional Expo Local Grant system, all profits raised from our 2021 Mingenew Midwest Expo were donated directly to the Lord Mayors Distress Relief Fund, totalling a whopping $50,000.

It is rewarding moments such as this that motivate our board to deliver a better Expo every year.

Achievements like this and the success of our Field Day would not be possible without the generosity and support of our corporate partners. We are pleased to be delivering our 2022 Main Event alongside diamond sponsor McIntosh and Son, which has been a strong supporter of the Mingenew Expo for countless years.

On behalf of the board, we would like to thank all our corporate partners once again for their generosity.

With so much on offer this year, we really think there is something for everyone. As the gates open at 10am on Friday, August 12, we look forward to welcoming you to our event, and we hope you have an enjoyable, educational, and exciting day out. We can’t wait to “see you at Expo 22”.

Andrew Cosgrove is the board chair at the McIntosh and Son Mingenew Midwest Expo

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THE TEAM BEHIND EXPO

Email: admin@mmwe.com.au

Website: mmwe.com.au

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

Andrew Cosgrove: Chairman

Sarah Christie: Vice Chair

Jeremy Clapham: Treasurer

Leanne-Grant Williams: Secretary

Rebecca Kelly: Human Resources Co-ordinator

Tiarna Kanny: Marketing Co-ordinator

STAFF (FROM CHECKED EVENTS IN GERALDTON)

Jo Panter: Event Co-ordinator

Simone Botha: Administration Co-ordinator

YOUNG FARMERS

Billi Marshall: Young Farmers Event Co-ordinator