A major field day, Agrifest will be held as part of the 2011 Farming in the 21st Century series. Planning for the inaugural event is well underway with keynote speakers and display holders being confirmed. AgriFest will be held on Thursday March 31st 2011 on a showcase farming property near Stawell.
The grant through the William Buckland Foundation will help establish Agrifest as an annual event attracting 400+ local and regional farmers. We have secured a range of high calibre speakers to present the keynote address and the 12 workshops which will run throughout the day. In addition there will be displays from a range of companies, organisations and service providers to supplement the workshops and provide information to the local farming communities who are our target audience. Bus tours around the innovative farming property will also be a feature of the day.
Other features of Agrifest include:
- Morning tea, lunch & afternoon tea catered by Concongella Primary School Parents Club
- A kids corner with craft activities for children (over 3 years age)
- Primary School students Landlearn display
- Tours of erosion works, revegetation sites, pasture improvement, farm planning
- Displays and exhibitors of agricultural equipment services and products.
To register please click here or phone Nicole on 5358 0504.
Overdale - 863 Stawell - Landsborough Road, Concongella |
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8.00 to 8.45 |
GATES OPEN Register - View Displays |
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Keynote Speakers
8.45 to 10.00 |
WELCOME & KEYNOTE ADDRESS Main Marquee MICK KEOGH – CEO Australian farm Institute. Global food insecurity or fussy consumers; which will dominate global agricultural markets? The current situation in global agricultural markets is a sharp contrast to the experiences of the last fifty years. What is driving these trends, and what do these trends mean for the future operation of farm businesses? Gaining a better understanding of the drivers behind these issues is critical for farm business managers seeking to increase profitability in the future. MARK WOOTTON – Jigsaw Farms. How farming can be part of the solution and not the problem in a climate and carbon constrained world. One solution is to run a climate adaptive model that is based on a high input pasture system with a range of cultivars chosen for persistence and ability to adapt to different climates. This profitable system, highly productive of fibre and food, can be enhanced by agroforestry and revegetation plantations whose biodiversity and carbon capture benefits will also provide an extra income stream. |
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10.00 to 10.45 |
MORNING TEA View Displays |
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GREEN Venue Sheep/wool/cropping |
BLUE Venue The Future – Planning, Climate Change |
PINK Venue Farming - some alternatives |
ORANGE VENUE
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First Session
10.45 to 11.30
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1. Andrew Whitlock Farm Mapping for Improved Decision Making Agriculture technologies can be integrated with local knowledge to generate actions for improved decision making. Technologies include satellite imagery, elevation and soil conductivity mapping, yield maps and GIS data management systems. |
2. Rob Herrmann Marketing your farm produce – the game is changing Today the market is left to find its own price levels, subject to supply & demand, currency and other international influences. Options exist to help you take control over the price of their produce. |
3. Lana Mitchell From passion to profit – new rural industries for Australia There are some 32 different recognised new rural industries. From olives, to alpacas; from truffles to wildflowers -the list is as diverse as our country and our people. Collaboration, networking, sharing resources can improve your income. |
BUS FARM TOUR George Holden Erosion control |
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Second session
11.30 to 12.15
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4. Cam Nicholson Grain and Graze 2 Combining crops and livestock on farm has potential to significantly increase the profitability of farming businesses if we get the mix right and integration right. Cam Nicholson will discuss some of the key integration issues for mixed farming and share some insights on areas such as grazing crops and crop / pasture rotations, including the latest research. |
5. Nigel McGuckian Navigating a pathway into future farming The greatest future challenge in agriculture will be finding and keeping talented and enthusiastic people. Learn pathways to bring people into your business, develop them and make room for them by helping people move out of the business |
6. Andrew Lang Farming energy crops Farmers turning agricultural and plantation wastes and residues into saleable energy - as heat, electricity and fuels, and to farm carbon and environmental benefits. |
BUS FARM TOUR George Holden Whole Farm Planning |
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12 15 to 2.00 |
LUNCH View Displays & Exhibitor presentations
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Third Session 2.00 to 2.45
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7. Richard Prusa Pasture research Choosing and establishing the right pasture species for your enterprise is a crucial decision. Richard will talk about the latest developments in pasture seed breeding and trials.
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8. Neil Barr Farming communities of the 21st Century Who will be farming in 20 years time? What might the farming lifestyle be? What might farming communities look like? |
8. Claire Bibby Young women in agriculture There are both challenges & opportunities within the Agricultural Finance industry for women. Claire will talk about the challenges and opportunities for women taking on more involvement with Farm Management and Agribusiness. |
BUS FARM TOUR George Holden Erosion control measures |
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Fourth Session
2.45 to 3.30
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10. Jason Trompf Best Wool/Best Lamb Best Wool/Best Lamb is an industry owned extension program that delivers economic, environmental and social benefits to wool and sheep meat producers |
11. Ben Keogh Monetising Carbon Assets, can you afford it? Ben will look at the rules of carbon trading and help you decide if trading carbon from your farm is the right management choice for you. |
12. Geoff Park What is the case for large-scale landscape restoration? Landscape scale biolinks advocate the transformation of agricultural land to a more biodiverse state. What is desirable/feasible from an ecological and social perspective? |
BUS FARM TOUR George Holden Whole Farm Planning |
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3.30 to 4.00 |
SUMMARY AND SHORT EVALUATION SESSION AT MAIN MARQUEE
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4.00 to 5.00 |
View Displays |
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To register your attendance for AgriFest, please go to the 'Registrations' page or phone Nicole on 5358 0504.
Be sure to include your name, a contact phone number & the number of people attending.
Full program for AgriFest (subject to changes):
agrifest_program_final.pdf (123.92 KB)
View a location map for 'Overdale'
AgriFest poster final_agrifest_poster.pdf (193.99 KB)
Media Release:
agrifest_media_jan_2011.docx
For further information on AgriFest please contact Jane Marriott on 5358 4410.
