26 July 2017 at the Alexandra Oval Community Centre in Ararat, Victoria
Registration is complimentary for all delegates, however pre-event registration is essential.
Join others from around your region to hear the latest economic trends and agricultural commodity updates from ABARES speakers, as well as business innovation stories from local business people and producers.
Program
8.30 am Registration
Innovation in agriculture – capturing the opportunities
CHAIR Nikolai Beilharz, ABC Rural
9.00 AM Welcome to Country
Opening address by Senator Bridget McKenzie, Senator for Victoria
9.30 AM Peter Gooday, ABARES -
Big picture issues affecting agriculture in Victoria
9.50 AM Michael Dean, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade -
Free Trade Agreements: agriculture, trade and foreign investment – the Australian situation
10.10 AM Questions and discussion
10.30 AM Morning tea
Innovation in broadacre agriculture
CHAIR Angela Clough, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources
11.00 AM Rohan Nelson, ABARES
–Commodity outlook and issues
11.20 AM Michael Craig, Tuloona Pastoral/Nuffield Scholar -
Australian sheep meat: a commodity or premium product
11.40 AM Ben Fleay, Precision Pastoral -
Data, insight, action: increasing productivity in agriculture with digital technology
12.00 PM Charles De Fegely, Quamby -
Raising sheep enterprise profits with sustainable innovation
12.20 PM Questions and discussion
1.00 PM Lunch
Adapting agriculture to a drier climate
CHAIR Justine Linley, Regional Development Australia Grampians
2.00 PM Ted Williams, Bureau of Meteorology –
Better information – better opportunities
2.20 PM David Drage, Wakerley Farm/Nuffield Scholar -
The challenges of climate change and farming in a dry climate
2.40 PM Chris Sounness, Birchip Cropping Group -
Improving moisture management in dryland farming
3.00 PM Mark Williams and Simon Coutts, GWMWater -
Securing a reliable water supply for stock and other agricultural uses
3.20 PM Questions and discussion
4.00 PM Close and afternoon tea
Registration includes:
- conference entry
- morning, lunch and afternoon tea
- copy of the delegate directory for easier networking
- copy of ABARES ‘About my region’ agricultural industries profile
- access to ABARES recent publications.