There is a lot happening on Day 2 of Norco Primex which will be held under blue skies with a warm maximum of 29 degrees.

Among the 370 local, national and international exhibitors and more than a thousand suppliers there is an estimated $100 million dollars worth of the latest machinery and products on display and being put through its paces.

One equipment display, by Casino’s own Days Machinery, is worth more than $5 million alone.

For the first time at Primex, much of the hardware on display will be available for almost immediate delivery.

‘There’s a lot of opportunity to really get your businesses going with the continued tax incentives and Primex has always been a great place to talk a deal and get a great outcome,’ Primex's CEO Bruce Wright said.

Mr Wright, along with NSW Minister for Agriculture Dougald Saunders, Norco CEO Michael Hampson and Richmond Valley Council Mayor Robert Mustow will be on hand to kick things off at Friday’s launch at the Nourish Pavilion.

This year’s event is also big on the food experience with chef, restaurateur and proud Bundjalung woman of the Widjabul Wia-bul clan, Mindy Woods, demonstrating how to whip up a seafood poke bowl at 1pm in the Nourish Pavilion, just prior to the official opening.

Norco Primex attendees will recognise Mindy as a Masterchef finalist and the creative force behind Karkalla Restaurant in Byron Bay. She will be presenting a range of inspirational cooking demonstrations on Friday.

Being Remembrance Day Norco Primex 2022 will also pause for one minute’s silence at 11am on Friday to commemorate those men and women who fought and died for Australia.

Two of the stalls at this year's agricultural super show caught the eye of the Lismore App for their innovative solutions to the ever-increasing threat of climate disasters.

One is the Down Under pop Up Container Home, which comes fully fitted with power points, flooring and walls, insulation and flooring and can be erected fast, in 4 easy steps.

Owner of the Sunshine Coast business Troy Suann told the Lismore App "I saw the need for these after so much flooding in our regions, and our customers have constantly surprised us with new uses for them, aside from the emergency accommodation, such was the man cave, granny flat and even a snake room!

"Because of their construction, they remain cool, are structurally sound and secure, and with the security bars, they can certainly offer a family recovering from a disaster, some security, and dignity, in the period afterwards, and fast."

Troy's design is for sale at $10k and he says that other modifications are possible, the sky is the limit! If people wish to go completely off-grid, he offers solutions to power, compost toilets and also, a water tank that collects up to 30L of drinking water a day just from the atmosphere!

Troy's website for further information can be accessed by going to: www.popupcontainerhomes.com.au

The sign is impossible to walk by, with its clear message "Emergency Housing" one many residents of the Lismore and Richmond Valley LGAs are seeking more of, and more preparation around, before the next floods and fires hit our region.

Next door to Troy's accommodation solution, is an eco solution to a very real issue we have faced recently, Sandbags!

If you are unaware of the usual sandbag issues, head along and ask Wayne all about them at Barrier Sack. Traditional sandbags use burlap sacks and river sand, which you may have experienced through an SES program during flood preparation. The newer and often more popular option are highly damaging for the environment, as they are filled with sand which is made with polypropylene plastic. 

This sand then becomes another micro-plastic waste product that washes into our waterways. A scary thought for our already fragile marine and river eco-systems!

Barrier Sack has developed a design that is all-natural and is activated by water. It weighs a maximum of 500g, so is able to be handled by more people more easily than much heavier traditional sandbags.

The bags are 60 x 40cm and a stack of 5 measures under 12cm in height, so they are easy to store, and after use in a disaster, the sack can be composted, while the inside material which expands to protect your doorways and entry points, can be tipped onto your garden, to decompose. For more information head along and chat to Wayne for a full demonstration, or go to: http://barriersack.com.au

Wayne says "with increasing weather events and the rising levels of floodwaters, it's time for residents of flood-prone areas to take preparation and home and personal protection into their own hands, and save thousands with simple solutions such as these, however, we need the community to buy BEFORE flood warnings come about, as we just do not have the capacity to respond fast enough, when a flood warning occurs.

"These are easy to store and have a long shelf-life, and are very affordable, so there is no reason why property owners, and renters, couldn't plan ahead and be more prepared for next time."

The gates at Norco Primex are open between 9am and 4pm at the Richmond Valley Events Centre, Cassino Drive, Casino.