“A MUST attend, once in a generation opportunity for Australian and New Zealand farmers, agribusiness professionals and researchers” is how John Angus President of the Australian organising committee describes this year’s Agronomy Conference.
For the first time, the 15th Australian Agronomy Conference, from November 15-18, will be held outside Australia.
The venue is Lincoln University, near Christchurch and the conference is being held in collaboration with the New Zealand Grassland Association and the New Zealand Societies of Agronomy and Soil Science.
John Angus says the diversity and calibre of information being presented is unlikely to be assembled again soon in this part of the World.
The conference theme of “Food security from sustainable agriculture” will explore global topics of feeding the world, climate change, water use, peak phosphorous and the challenges and opportunities facing Australasian agriculture.
These broad ideas will be presented by invited keynote speakers who will be supported by over 200 contributed papers by Australian and New Zealand agronomists. There will also be in-depth discussion of farming issues at interactive workshops and field tours.
Mr Angus explains that these farmer-friendly workshops are a first for the conference which will get farmers and the agribusiness community exploring the latest information on lamb finishing, dryland pastures, nutrient efficiency, crop production, water use, insect pests and pasture utilisation.
These workshops will provide insights into New Zealand practices which will be of great interest to high-rainfall Australian farmers.
Some of Canterbury’s leading arable, dairy, sheep and beef farms will host conference tours.
NZ Grassland Association convenor, Professor Derrick Moot, says the opportunity for Australians to see wheat crops with potential yields of 15 tonnes per hectare at one farm will attract interest amongst Australian agronomists, who will cross the ditch to join the NZGA for the first time.
Equally, how to integrate cropping and dairy is expected to appeal widely. For those with a sheep or beef interest visits to the specialist finishing Winslow farm and store lamb production on Banks Peninsula are attractive options.
The four day conference starts on Monday 15 November at Lincoln University.
Attendance at the conference gives membership to the Australian Society of Agronomy ( www.agronomy.org.au).
Early bird registration closes on October 22. More information about the program and registration details can be found at: www.grassland.org.nz
