Future-Focused Solutions Powering Farming, People and Place
The Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange is a vibrant, future-focused hub within the Wānaka A&P Show, bringing people together around the ideas, innovation, and leadership. It is a place to connect, learn, and explore practical solutions that support strong farms, thriving communities, and sustainable land use.
Built around community, leadership, and innovation, the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange has grown from a single event at the inaugural Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange last year into a six-event programme within the Show, reflecting strong sector interest and the value of creating space for meaningful conversations and connection. It brings together a diverse mix of speakers, innovators, and organisations working across the rural sector including leaders from business and industry at the following events
The Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange features thought leadership, collaborative projects, and new-to-market products. Visitors will meet exhibitors showcasing emerging technologies and ideas including soil carbon measurement, pasture and land performance tools, effluent management innovation, satellite-enabled programmes, new crop opportunities, research and development, education, and app-based technologies.
There is also a meeting space – great to hold meetings and for media interviews.
If you are curious about what is next for farming, interested in new tools and ideas, or keen to be part of conversations shaping the future of rural New Zealand, the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange is the place to be!
Introducing the 2026 Exhibitors
Inspiring innovation, leadership and practical solutions for a more resilient rural future.
We welcome the change-makers.
AIMER Farming is a New Zealand Agritech company using AI-powered tools to help farmers optimise pasture and livestock management. It’s AIMER platform uses smartphone-based computer vision to measure and forecast pasture mass, saving farmers hours while generating insights, forecast feed wedges and automated grazing plans.
In 2026, AIMER is scaling in NZ and globally with AIMER Vision, a smartphone-based pasture measurement tool that measures pasture covers in seconds. Growth plans include expanding mobile functionality, drone and satellite integration, and a dedicated beef solution.
At Agri Exchange, AIMER will showcase live AIMER Vision scans, its intelligent operating system including animated forecast feed wedges, predictive insights, and automated grazing plans. They will demonstrate how farmers can lift profitability, reduce labour, and make faster, better grazing decisions.
Romene is a farmer-founded New Zealand company turning strong wool and dairy milk into high-value beauty products for global markets.
Developed by a Southland sheep farmer and her Korean business partner, the business aims to add value to agricultural products through premium, science-led skincare. It was created to tackle a familiar challenge in the primary sector: increasing returns from existing farm outputs while keeping more value in New Zealand.
Romene’s innovation lies in its use of strong wool and dairy milk. Wool is transformed into keratin protein peptides and milk into lactoferrin protein complexes, which are then developed into performance-tested skincare products – applications not previously commercialised. Rather than exporting raw materials or marketing simply as natural skincare, Romene creates functional bioactives for premium offshore markets.
At the Wānaka A&P Show, Romene will showcase this model, highlighting opportunities for wool and milk to support farm diversification and new value creation.
MyNativeForest is working with landowners across Aotearoa New Zealand to deliver a new voluntary carbon programme for native forest plantings, developed under the Verra VM0047 international standard and tailored to New Zealand conditions. This approach responds to growing interest in voluntary carbon markets, where pricing signals are materially different from the NZ ETS and are bringing new native planting options to the fore.
Alongside this work, MyNativeForest supports the full lifecycle of native forestry projects, from project design and registration through to long-term compliance and management.
At the Wanaka A&P Show, MyNativeForest will focus on what this emerging voluntary carbon model means in practice, including land eligibility, project structure, costs and timelines, and how voluntary carbon markets are evolving. The team will share insights into when this approach makes sense for landowners, and when it does not, helping inform future land-use and forestry decisions.
Launched in late 2025, ReFlow is a collaboration between Ballance, Plucks, and Southwater, bringing together complementary expertise to address one of dairy farming’s ongoing challenges. ReFlow is a new effluent management system designed to separate dairy farm effluent into cleansed water suitable for reuse and nutrient-rich solids for land application.
The system significantly reduces effluent pond volume requirements while retaining up to 95% of solids and removing up to 98% of E. coli from the water. Designed to be automated, ReFlow can be retrofitted into existing farm infrastructure and scaled to suit different farm sizes and herd numbers. System performance can be monitored remotely via laptop or app.
At the Wānaka A&P Show, ReFlow will present a working overview of the system, showing effluent inputs and outputs and walking through each stage of the process. Visitors can expect practical discussion around how the system operates, where it fits within existing farm setups, and how it supports more efficient and resilient effluent management.
The Fairlight Foundation is a New Zealand charitable organisation focused on strengthening the future of farming by supporting women into leadership roles. It delivers a unique, well-rounded development programme that combines practical on-farm experience with professional business capability and personal growth. This integrated approach makes it the only training programme in New Zealand to blend practical farming skills with professional and personal development.
In 2026, the Foundation is launching new hands-on learning programmes at Fairlight Station. Designed for high school students and women, these short courses will teach essential on-farm skills, build confidence, and inspire future pathways into agriculture.
By reducing barriers to entry and providing real-world learning, the programmes help grow a capable, confident rural workforce. At the Wānaka A&P Show, the Foundation will share how this model supports workforce development, succession, and the long-term strength of New Zealand agriculture.
The Common Ground is an innovative collaborative platform designed to help Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibre sector tackle shared, systemwide challenges through stronger crossindustry collaboration.
Launched by AGMARDT in 2024 with the provocative report “Are industry good organisations good for industry?”, it sparked widespread dialogue across the sector. In 2025, we deepened engagement by gathering feedback and publishing a series of minireports reflecting what we heard.
Now in 2026, we’re moving from insight to impact, launching three realworld pilots. At the Wanaka A & P Show, we’ll highlight these pilots, share insights from the journey so far, and invite you to help shape the next phase of collaborative impact.
Ag Assist is New Zealand’s trusted rural marketplace, built by farmers for the food and fibre sector. It connects businesses, rural professionals, service providers and community members in one practical place where jobs are filled, services are found and gear is sold.
Grounded in community trust and recommendation, Ag Assist strengthens word-of-mouth by giving it visibility beyond local Facebook groups and existing networks, opening doors to wider opportunity across the sector.
In 2026, Ag Assist is focused on growing active participation across jobs, services, goods and community, building confidence through real engagement and repeat use.
At the Wānaka A&P Show, the team will showcase how one grassroots digital platform can help rural New Zealand hire, trade and connect. Simply, quickly and with confidence.
Lincoln University (Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki) is New Zealand’s specialist land-based university, supporting the rural sector through research, education, and industry partnerships. Led by Professor Pablo Gregorini, the Pastoral Livestock Production Lab and the Centre of Excellence Designing Future Productive Landscapes focus on advancing livestock systems, grazing ecology, and integrated agricultural design. In 2026, the team is expanding landscape-level programmes locally and internationally, progressing human health clinical trials, and applying AI to assess the health of farming practices and landscapes. At the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange, they will share insights into future productive landscapes that connect soil, plant, animal, and human wellbeing.
WAI Wānaka is a community-led environmental non-profit dedicated to safeguarding and restoring freshwater ecosystems across the Upper Clutha catchment. The organisation works alongside farmers, landowners, residents, mana whenua, scientists, councils, schools, and community groups to deliver practical, catchment-based outcomes that support long-term water health.
The big threats to freshwater in the Upper Clutha catchment are urban development, rural development, pest flora and fauna, increased tourism and climate change.
At the Wānaka A&P Show, WAI Wānaka will showcase their work with community across rural and urban landscapes to address these threats, and the future focus to create evidence based, collaborative solutions across the catchment.
Visit WAI Wānaka to see their innovative solutions and the role you can play in protecting and restoring our freshwater lakes and rivers.
HempCentral is an industrial hemp business based in Central Otago, working across the full hemp value chain from field to finished product. The organisation supports the rural sector by providing local processing solutions for growers, with a focus on producing hemp hurd for hempcrete construction and developing high-purity products from all parts of the hemp stalk.
In 2026, HempCentral is expanding as a regional hub for industrial hemp education, grower networks, and sustainable building innovation. This includes strengthening sector collaboration and advancing practical applications for hemp within New Zealand’s rural and construction industries.
At the Agri Exchange, HempCentral will showcase its processing capabilities and discuss the future of hemp-based building materials. Visitors can expect practical conversations around value-add processing, new crop opportunities, and how hemp may contribute to rural diversification and industry development in New Zealand.
Nature-based Intelligence (NbI) connects land, nature and the economy to support better long-term decisions. As environmental expectations and financial pressures increase, land managers, investors, bankers, insurers and supply-chain partners need credible, integrated insight that links environmental performance with economic outcomes over time.
NbI integrates land, water, ecological and financial information across time and scale, turning complex data into clear, decision-ready intelligence. Rather than adding another standalone tool, NbI brings existing science, technology and analytics together into a trusted framework that reduces risk, improves investment outcomes and enables coordinated action.
Designed to guide decisions through transition and toward resilient future states, Nature-based Intelligence is a collaboration between Kirini, Natural Insights and Criffel Futures, based in Wānaka, New Zealand.
CountryWide CONNECT is a brand new daily rural show (11am-1pm) hosted by former Wanaka local Sarah Perriam-Lampp and Andy Thompson. The livestreamed video/radio show is an innovative way to deliver up-to-date farming news and technical advice. Launching on 30th March 2026, the award-winning rural broadcasters will take the rural radio space to a whole new level. The show will be streamed in more places than any other show, ranging from social media, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to YouTube and their own mobile app. The new show is the evolution of the popular agri-business magazine, CountryWide that Sarah purchased in 2023. Join Andy and Sarah for the official launch of the new show at 11am Friday 13th March in the AgriExchange.
Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange Event Schedule 2026
Gallaway Cook Allan Leaders Breakfast
Friday 13 March | 7.30am – 9.00am Private Event
An invitation-only breakfast bringing together rural leaders, ahead of the Show opening. This event provides a focused space for conversation around leadership, innovation, and the key issues shaping the rural sector.
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CountryWide CONNECT Show Launch
Friday 13 March | 11am-11.30am
Join Sarah Perriam-Lampp and Andy Thompson as they officially launch their new rural show, CountryWide CONNECT. This event is for farmers and rural professionals to celebrate the evolution of CountryWide magazine under Sarah’s ownership into a digital daily show and more!
Friday 13 March | 3.00pm – 4.00pm All Welcome, Registration Required.
Hosted by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, this event delivers practical insight, sector updates, and informed discussion relevant to farmers and rural professionals navigating change and future planning.
An informal end-of-day networking event sponsored by AGMARDT designed to continue conversations sparked throughout the day. Innovators Drinks brings together Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange Exhibitors from the current year and previous years along with invited guests encouraging connection across research, innovation, and leadership within the rural sector.
Saturday 14 March | 8:30am – 10:00am Open to all rural professionals
Start day two where it matters – being inspired by the professionals shaping rural New Zealand.
Join fellow advisers, consultants, bankers, vets, and agribusiness innovators for a breakfast that brings sharp thinking and strong rural relationships together. This is your space to swap insights, challenge ideas, strengthen the connections and be inspired by innovations that support our farming communities every day. As part of the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri-Exchange, a guest speaker will share timely perspectives and sector challenges to spark fresh thinking and set the tone for the season ahead.
The closing session of the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange at the Wānaka A&P Show brings urban and rural perspectives together in one shared conversation.With a spotlight on wool and water, this interactive afternoon combines short speaker sessions and networking to explore shared challenges, emerging opportunities, how collaboration across both supports resilient rural communities and healthy urban environments.
The session begins with Amanda Dorset, co-founder of Wilson & Dorset, sharing insights from her work championing New Zealand wool and reconnecting people with this natural fibre in modern homes.
Next, we have Smithy’s Wool School. Experience the journey of wool from sheep to garment in this practical and engaging demonstration.
Craig Smith from Devold will guide you through the transformation of fleece to fabric – from raw fibre through processing to a finished Devold performance garment. You will see, touch and feel wool in its natural state and gain a clear understanding of how this remarkable fibre is prepared, engineered and turned into high-quality clothing.
Smithy’s Wool School connects paddock to product, offering an insightful overview of how New Zealand wool becomes performance apparel.
WAI Wānaka – Urban Action for Freshwater
Following Smithy’s Wool School, WAI Wānaka will share how urban communities play a vital role in protecting our freshwater ecosystems.
This session explores:
• The work of Urban Catchment Groups, including guest presenters from the Bremner Bay Group
• The Adopt-a-Drain programme reducing stormwater pollution
• Microplastics research revealing what is entering our lakes
You will leave with practical actions you can take as an individual, homeowner, neighbourhood and wider community to help safeguard freshwater for future generations.
Bridging the Urban Gap is a thoughtful and future-focused conclusion to the Agri Exchange programme – designed to inspire connection, responsibility and collective action across rural and urban communities.
If you think your business is a good fit, and you’re ready to be profiled where rural mindsets shift and collaboration begins, we’d love to hear from you. Applications to exhibit in the 2027 Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange will open in Spring 2026.
Watch this space!
Criteria To Exhibit
• Offer high-impact, thought leading solutions to sustainability, productivity, growth or resilience in the primary sector.
• Be New Zealand focussed.
• Be ready to network, discuss and present the subject over the two A&P Show event days.
Further criteria information can be found on page 4 of the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange Prospectus.
