Vic Agribusiness Summit To Look At Big Issues

Victoria’s upcoming Agribusiness Summit will focus on the Big Issues & Opportunities Facing Agriculture. Witchmount Estate Winery, Melton, will host Day 1 and the All Seasons Resort, Bendigo, will host Day 2, on September 24 and 25.

Agribusiness forums across Victoria have been formed to help build networks, collaborate on ideas, identify opportunities and promote agribusiness within different regions.The Summit wiil have some great guest speakers and heaps to engage ‘just about everyone’ – it will be a chance to participate, hear the latest, share and collaborate.

About The Forum

Dr Wendy Craik, Chief Executive for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission will deliver the keynote address in Bendigo.

“Of all the national issues facing Australia today, the health of the Murray Darling Basin rates as one of the most important. With so many different and competing interests for one of our most valuable resources we must continue to keep this on the agenda and keep informed about the basin’s status and progress.”

The Melton program on Wednesday September 24 will focus on climate change issues, recycled water use, lifestyle and liveability and bio-security challenges facing the livestock industries.

The Bendigo program on Thursday September 25 will concentrate on the latest research into farming systems to help cope with climate variability, soil management, biological farming and corporate farming. Other topics to be addressed include the flow-on effects for agriculture following the release of the Government’s Green Paper recommendations for a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

The Speakers

Speakers over the two days include:

• Dr Leanne Web from CSIRO
• Andrew Dolling Director of Climate Change in Agriculture at DPI
• Dr Maarten Stapper
• Kevin Goss CEO of Future Farms Industries Cooperative Research Centre
• Lin Crase La Trobe University
• Tony Ramunno from Witchmount Estate Wineries
• Peter Andrews as seen on ABC Australian Story about “Natural Sequence Farming”
• Professor Alan Pears Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Winner of the Centenary Medal for Outstanding Service to Public Policy on Climate Change

Speakers will be joined by noted panellists including representatives from the European Union Commission and it is expected that there will be some lively discussions exploring the big issues facing agriculture today.

For More Info

Anyone interested in attending the summit or who would like more information about the program can visit www.agri-gate.org.au or contact Cathy Wallace on 03 5444 7932.

You can register here.

The Summit dinner will be held in Bendigo on Wednesday 24 September where there will an opportunity to network and to hear from John Richards, Chargé d’Affaires European Union Delegation who will provide an insight into the EU’s response to climate change beyond Kyoto.

This event is a collaborative effort by Agriwest and Agrigate representing the two Agribusiness Forums that stretch from the outer west of Melbourne, up the Calder Corridor to the Murray River. The summit has been well supported by the Victorian Government, Catchment Management Authorities, Water Authorities, Local Councils, finance providers, local wineries and others.