Former New Zealand Special Air Service soldier Willie Apiata is the first and only recipient so far to receive the Victoria Cross since World War 2.
He was recognised for carrying a wounded soldier to safety under fire and rejoining fighting in Afghanistan.
Mr Apiata is giving a series of talks to growers facing a wretched run in a night out for them at Dunsandel on April 28, Ashburton on April 29 and Timaru on April 30.
While many farmers are receiving high prices for their milk, meat, wool and products, arable growers are the exception with the additional struggles of high costs and bad weather.
Recognising the many pressures they are facing during a difficult season, the events are being jointly organised by the Ministry for Primary Industries, Rural Support Trust and the Foundation for Arable Research (Far).
Far chief executive Scott Champion said growers would be able to get off the farm, connect with other farmers and sector people, to hear from someone who had gone through challenging and uplifting experiences.
They might think about what his message could mean for them, he said.
"The critical thing is the arable sector is not in the same position as sheep and beef or dairy and some of the horticultural sectors at the moment. Things are tough and producers are feeling the impacts of increased fuel and fertiliser prices and in some regions ... a really tough harvest season as well. In Canterbury that has been around repeated hail and rainfall events."
He said a break from their worries to hear a resilience message from Mr Apiata would be appreciated.
"Our setting is entirely different in some respects, but learning from how others think about resilience and response in tough situations is probably the key thing."
Mr Champion said he was looking forward himself to listening to the decorated soldier as it might be the only opportunity growers get to hear from him.
He said two tough harvests in a row and factory closures by vegetable processors Watties and McCain in recent months had been hard on growers.
Increased fuel and fertiliser prices were hanging over them as they completed the last of the harvest and prepared paddocks for the next season.
Some growers had told him they were likely paying more for store lambs than they sold them last year.
"They are acutely aware of that and the livestock elements have sort of been some of the rays of sunshine if you like in the mixed system so it’s really important at the moment."
Mr Champion said there was a lot of talk among growers about increased dairy conversions that were stacking up against their current mood.
He said Far was a research, development and extension group, but was providing as much support as possible.
"People have been drawing parallels to seasons 20 years and 30 years going back in to the 1990s but we do have a bunch of younger growers who are coming through and some of them won’t have been in these challenges before and we need to be mindful of that."
