The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) is making tracks to the southern New South Wales city of Wagga for its first Regional Outlook conference in 2022.

The Upton Farms aggregation is expected to run up to 7000 steers by October

Featuring ABARES economists and speakers from around the region, the conference will examine agriculture’s contribution to Australia’s prosperity, the outlook for the sector and key commodities, along with local business experiences of innovation for sustainable growth.

ABARES Executive Director and conference speaker Dr Jared Greenville encouraged people to register and attend.

“Regional Outlook conferences are unique in the sense that we’re talking about issues that directly affect the region,” Dr Greenville said.

“Attendees have a great opportunity to network with industry experts, economists, scientists and other locals who face similar issues. A power packed agenda will provide plenty for fruitful discussions.”

CSU’s Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation will deliver the opening keynote address. ABARES will discuss how global events are impacting NSW producers, while Rabobank will provide insights around adding value to local farm businesses.

AgriFutures Australia will chair a discussion with local producers and researchers around their experiences of innovation and on-farm research. The conference will also cover the latest commodity data, climate updates, information on farm financing and working with supply chains.

“Wagga is an agricultural powerhouse and crucial agricultural research centre, and we’re excited to be catching up with producers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the region,” Dr Greenville said.

For the full program, speaker details and to register visit www.awe.gov.au/abares/regional. For enquiries email conferences@awe.gov.au.

The conference is free but pre-event registration is essential.