Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato
Location: Site D79
Your place to learn
The world is changing fast, and the primary industries are evolving with it. We know keeping up with cutting-edge advancements can be a challenge. Fieldays Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato is back at Fieldays to give you the knowledge to stay ahead.
Join industry experts as they share valuable insights on topics that matter to you.
Join us for engaging discussions, expert-led sessions, and real-world solutions—all tailored to help you thrive in an ever-changing environment.
This initiative aims to educate, inspire, and equip those working in, and around the industry with the latest insights, strategies, and practical solutions for achieving these goals. Whether you’re a farmer, grower, entrepreneur, enthusiast or industry professional, these sessions will help you stay ahead, ensuring you’re making the most of new technologies and trends.
Sessions run throughout Fieldays
Sessions run from 20 to 40 minutes—no booking required, simply drop in and learn something new while you're at Fieldays!
View the lineup, find what sparks your interest, and add your must-see talks to your Plan on the Fieldays App.
Timetable - Wednesday 10 June
| Time | Talk name | About |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Tent Talk - KPMG Agribusiness Agenda | KPMG Agribusiness Agenda: from status quo to status change, exploring what NZ’s food and fibre sector needs to thrive by 2050. |
| 10:00 am | Tent Talk - Sprout Agritech: Six UK Agritech Ventures to Watch | Lightning Pitches from Innovate UK's 2026 NZ Agri-Tech Global Incubator Programme. |
| 10:30 am | Tent Talk - One NZ: The Connected Rural Economy: Powering New Zealand’s Next Productivity Leap | Panel-talk about how connectivity can unlock innovation, productivity and resilience across rural Aotearoa. Featuring leaders from Halter, Fonterra and BNZ, facilitated by One NZ. |
| 11:00 am | Tent Talk - Craigs Investment Partners: Investing Beyond the Farm | Join local investment advisers, Hamish Don and Laura Flynn from Craigs Investment Partners, as they share an update on the macroeconomic environment and issues driving financial markets. |
| 12:00 pm | Tent Talk - Food and Fibre Youth Network: Who will run this place in 20 years? | Discussion on who will run the food and fibre sector in 20 years. |
| 12:30 pm | Tent Talk - Mānuka Orchard: The Future of Mānuka | Hear why mānuka’s future looks bright, and the best years are ahead with supply shifts opening new opportunities. |
| 1:00 pm | Tent Talk - Gallagher: The Milk Docket for Beef | Using weighing data and Auto Weigher technology to improve beef performance decisions. |
| 2:00 pm | Tent Talk - EECA: Making Sense of Solar | Solar on farms, energy savings, resilience, batteries, and farmer experiences. |
| 2:30 pm | Tent Talk - Farmgen Solar: Farmer Panel | Practical information about solar on farms, batteries, and what works well around the country. |
| 3:00 pm | Tent Talk - Waikato Diocesan School for Girls: Principal’s presentation | Attracting the next generation - why young people are choosing some workplaces, and walking away from others. |
Timetable - Thursday 11 June
| Time | Talk name | About |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am | Tent Talk - ADA: What does the future of Ag drones look like? | Presentation by the Agricultural Drone Association. |
| 10:00am | Tent Talk - University of Waikato: Feeding the World in a Fractured Landscape | New Zealand’s exporters are navigating an increasingly complex global stage. This panel explores how shifting geopolitical alliances and trade dynamics are reshaping our role as a food producer in a volatile world. |
| 11:00am | Tent Talk - University of Waikato: Dollars and Dirt | The Economic Outlook | What do macro-economic trends actually mean for the 2026/27 season? This session cuts through the noise to focus on the financial realities of farming today. |
| 12:00pm | Tent Talk - One NZ: Overview of a connected farm | Learn from One NZ experts about how Satellite-enabled IoT is helping take farm data beyond the coverage map. |
| 12:30pm | Tent Talk - Beef and Lamb NZ: What will people want from food next? | Nutrition trends, consumer expectations, and what they mean for NZ food producers. |
| 1:00pm | Tent Talk - Milford Asset Management: The retirement gap and how we close it. | The retirement gap and how we close it. |
| 2:00pm | Tent Talk - Prism: The Value of Measuring Natural Capital on Farms | Measuring natural capital to support productivity, land, water, ecosystems, and new opportunities. |
| 3:00pm | Tent Talk - DairySmart: How Mastitis is Eroding Dairy Farmers Wealth | The real cost of mastitis and how better testing can reduce herd and financial impact. |
Timetable - Friday 12 June
| Time | Talk name | About |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am | Tent Talk - Shareholder Disputes in Entities | Shareholder disputes in farming entities, causes, remedies, legal options, and resolution pathways. |
| 10:00am | Tent Talk - Innovation Awards: Growth & Scale Winner | Hear from the winner of the Growth and Scale Award, supported by PwC from Thursday's Fieldays Innovation Awards with AWS |
| 10:30am | Tent Talk - Shares: Building Smart Investment Portfolios Using ETFs | Using ETFs to build simple, diversified, low-cost investment portfolios. |
| 11:00am | Tent Talk - Lightforce Solar | How Lightforce Solar is turning open land into long-term energy savings. |
| 12:00pm | Tent Talk - Farmgen Solar: Solar for Students | Practical information about solar on farms, batteries, and what works well around the country. |
| 12:30pm | Tent Talk - NWM: Don’t Get Caught Out. Common Employment Law Traps | Common employment law mistakes in the agriculture sector. |
| 1:00pm | Tent Talk - Greenstone Immigration Recruitment | Migrant staff pathways, visas, residency, accreditation, job checks, and retention. |
| 2:00pm | Tent Talk - Whakatane High School: From Little Things, Big Things Grow | Environmental Studies and Enviro Club student projects and sustainability work. |
| 2:30pm | Tent Talk - NWM: What’s Yours, Mine, and Ours: Protect Your Farm from Relationship Disasters | Relationship property risks, farm valuations, trusts, and contractual protections. |
| 3:00pm | Tent Talk - Sharesies: Farming unfenced: How technology is redefining the limits of agribusiness. | How technology gives farmers more flexibility, feedback loops, and decision-making options. |
Timetable - Saturday 13 June
| Time | Talk name | About |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00am | Tent Talk - Generate: Building Long-Term Wealth for Farming Families | Off-farm investments, KiwiSaver, managed funds, and long-term wealth across generations. |
| 10:30am | Tent Talk - Farmgen: Making Sense of Solar | Practical information about solar on farms, batteries, and what works well around the country. |
| 11:00am | Tent Talk - Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari | The world’s largest fenced eco-sanctuary and its native species. |
| 12:00pm | Tent Talk - ADA: What does the future of Ag drones look like? | Presentation by the Agricultural Drone Association. |
| 12:30pm | Tent Talk - Sharesies: Wealth beyond the farm: Investing fundamentals for Agri-families. | Sharesies breaks down the fundamentals of building wealth for agri-families: diversifying beyond farm equity and using simple tools to grow and protect what you've earned. |
| 1:00pm | Tent Talk - Cervical Screening, HPV Awareness and Menopause Wellbeing | Cervical screening, HPV awareness, menopause, HRT, and wellbeing information. |
| 2:00pm | Tent Talk - Compatico and Rural Support Trust: Navigating relationships in rural NZ | Rural connection, loneliness, relationships, friendships, and building community. |
| 2025
Fieldays Tent Talks
Join us for Fieldays Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato - One NZ Starlink Presentation. Full timetable is available on the Fieldays App.
“ We have a diverse range of sessions planned, there’s something of interest for everyone. „
Karina Missen, Event Producer at Fieldays
FAQs
No booking or registration is required for Fieldays Tent Talks, in association with the University of Waikato. Simply drop by Site D79 during Fieldays—sessions are first come, first served. Attend as many as you like, space permitting!
The Fieldays App helps you plan, navigate, and get the most out of your Fieldays experience. You can use the app to:
- Plan your visit by browsing exhibitors, products, and event schedules
- Find your way around using interactive maps and site navigation
- Save favourites like exhibitors, events, and activities to create your own itinerary
- Stay up to date with key event information
- Access essential info including parking, transport, amenities, and accessibility details
- Discover what’s on each day, including demonstrations, talks, and competitions
The app is designed to make your Fieldays visit easier, more organised, and more enjoyable, before you arrive and while you’re on site.
Download free from the App Store or Google Play.
To become a Fieldays Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato speaker, you’ll need to apply. Selection is based on criteria such as the relevance of your content, your business, and other key factors. In most cases, a fee is payable.
To apply to be a speaker, email us with:
- Your preferred session duration (from 20-40 minutes)
- Preferred day and time (e.g. 20 minutes on Friday morning)
- A short description of your proposed presentation
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