Sites were packed with new machinery that finally arrived after several years on back order, but many farmers were reluctant to buy with the sudden turn in temperature sealing the fate of struggling crops in some areas and little rain on the horizon for most of the state.   

While some growers were reporting their worst season on record, following back-to-back record breakers, other pockets of the state were waterlogged.

Meanwhile, machinery dealers were using the event as an opportunity to try and recruit new talent as the struggle to source staff amid skilled labour shortages continues. After increasing wages to attract mechanics over the last few years, there were concerns some customers would not be able to afford increased service costs now they were facing average or below average conditions.

While speakers at the event's Bringing Dowerin Downtown luncheon at Crown Perth on Tuesday were positive about outlooks for WA agriculture and the Wheatbelt region, farmers who were struggling to offload sheep as prices plummet and feed diminishes, and those with facing low yielding crops were not be feeling quite so optimistic.

Dowerin promised the luncheon would spark industry conversation and it delivered with plenty of discussion following the event, particularly in relation to the proposed live sheep export ban.

More to come.