Hosted by Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation), the event will be attended by growers from around the country, and will culminate in the organisation’s second Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Hort Innovation chief executive officer John Lloyd said increasingly, fruit, vegetable, nut, turf, nursery and cut flower growers are looking to enhance their businesses by applying novel techniques and the event will arm them with a host of new ideas.
“With today’s highly competitive domestic and export markets, horticulture producers need to be constantly adapting to shifting consumer trends and delivering quality produce as efficiently as possible,” he said.
“This event provides an opportunity for growers to gain new ideas on value-adding to products; a frontline view into how their produce is being marketed and the benefits of adopting technology such as cloud-based platforms to save time and money.
Topics and speakers include:
- Technology and horticulture, the perfect match: Industry disruptor, former Young Farmer of the Year and CEO of Australian Fresh Leaf Herbs, Jan Vydra, will share how he is applying his passion for technology and innovation to a successful career in horticulture.
- Being better ambassadors for Australian fresh produce: Chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter, Kylie Kwong will talk about the importance of her deep relationships with suppliers, and her love of Australian produce.
- Happiness is a green life: Green space, health and well-being expert Dr Thomas Astell-Burt will detail his latest research, arming the nursery, turf and cut-flower industries with vital insights to share with customers and guide product stocking decisions.
- Your vision of your industry in 10 years: General Manager of I Love Farms and advocate for a vibrant and sustainable future for agriculture, Emma Germano will speak on the importance of leadership in the industry, and tapping into a global marketplace.
- Improving the Australian diet from the ground up: Former Weight Watchers CEO, SP Health founder and Manly Sea Eagles owner Scott Penn will speak about his experience and views on improving the Australian diet.