AgForce Queensland will hold the first in its new “360 Series” of regional conferences in Roma on June 24-25.

Keynote speakers will address issues including consumer preference and beef industry sustainability, land tenure reform, agribusiness trends, agricultural employment, Asian market opportunities and rural business planning and structure.

The series will include industry events held across each of the AgForce regions. It aims to make high quality speakers, information and industry debate as accessible to as many agriculture industry stakeholders as possible.

The concept will, for this year, replace the traditional AgForce State Conference.

AgForce General President, Ian Burnett, said the 360 Series sought to counter some of the travel challenges of attending Conference without diluting the quality of speakers or networking opportunities.

“By essentially taking conference to the regions we will give as many industry stakeholders as possible the opportunity to participate in the important discussion currently underway surrounding the future of the rural sector.”

A stellar line-up of speakers with unique and important views of the industry have been secured including:

• Richard Rains, Beef entrepreneur and first Australian to secure McDonalds North America as a customer for Australian beef;
• Ben Cameron – Managing Director, Bentleys Brisbane and head of the firm’s Agribusiness team;
• Don Chandler – Executive Director and Client Advisor, UBS;
• Andrew Simpson – Meat and Livestock Australia Regional Manager, South-East Asia/China (dinner speaker);
• Professor Roger Stone, Director of the International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences and Professor Climatology and Water Science;
• Dennis Hoiberg – International speaker on change, effectiveness and emotional resilience;
• Arnel Corpuz – Australian Agricultural Company;
• Policy Forum Discussion with AgForce Commodity Presidents and Staff.

AgForce Southern Inland Queensland President, Grant Maudsley, said the speaker program was one of the best to be offered at a regional agriculture event and would spark important industry discussion and debate.

“AgForce has worked hard to coordinate an event that will help provide a platform for informed debate and access to industry leaders to drive that discussion,” Mr Maudsley said.

“However there will also be vast networking opportunities including the official AgForce Southern Inland Queensland Dinner on the evening of June 24 and a forum breakfast the following morning at the Royal Hotel Roma.

“We have also engaged a Roma-based butcher to cook locally-produced spit roasts for our lunchtime networking to keep the focus on the commodities we represent.

“I invite all producers, both AgForce members and non-members to join us.”

Registrations: now open at www.agforceqld.org.au
Forum entry: free
Forum Breakfast: members free/$15 non-members
Dinner Tickets: $50 members/$65 non-members

Other 360 Dates:

Biloela – September 3-4

Charleville – October 1-2

Blackall – November 5-6

Brisbane – November 25

Source: AgForce Qld