THE Grassland Society of Southern Australia's annual conference will focus on the red meat and wool industries and showcase why the country's future lies in farming, not mining.
Topics at the Naracoorte conference to be held on July 22-23 cover soil, pastures, livestock, farm business and marketing, and include visits to progressive farmers in the area.
"Being close to the South East dairying region of SA, we have taken the opportunity to pick up valuable productivity pointers from local dairyfarmers and showcase how agricultural productivity can fill the gaps left by a collapse in mining commodity prices," convenor Tim Prance said.
On the topic of soil, University of Adelaide researcher Tim McLaren will talk about the latest research from the Meat & Livestock Australia-funded national phosphorus efficiency project in pastures, while La Trobe University's Pauline Mele will cover the process of measuring and understanding soil microbiology to increase pasture growth.
The pasture theme will focus on improving winter pasture growth through the use of nitrogen and improved management, in a talk by Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture's Richard Rawnsley, Burnie, while Lisa Warn, Mackinnon Project, University of Melbourne, will talk about new phalaris cultivars and their management for persistence and productivity.
Three local farmers will share how they use different forms of pasture management to extend growing season and improve productivity.
Delegates will visit farms to see how they make the most of their relatively short growing season without irrigation.
Australian Seed Federation chief executive officer Bill Fuller will have the latest on the national pasture variety trial network.
The dinner will feature plenty of high-quality local red meat and wine in the Naracoorte Town Hall.
Guest speaker Michael Kerrigan, Meningie, will take a light-hearted look at a serious subject - rural mental health.
On the second day, the Mac Troup Oration will be delivered by Robert Egerton-Warburton, a woolgrower and Nuffield Scholar from Kojonup, WA. He will talk about constraints to agricultural growth in southern Australia, particularly wool, and possible solutions.
This will form part of the conference's Business and People theme, which will include Bulla Burra Farms' John Gladigau, Loxton, talking on collaborative farming with a focus on livestock, rather than cropping, and Andrew Cavill outlining an innovative men's watch program to address the alarming rates of rural suicide.
University of Melbourne Veterinary Science School's John Larsen, will talk about managing sheep and cattle worms through pasture management and monitoring egg counts, while Carly Buttrose, a young farmer and Nuffield Scholar from Kangaroo Island, will talk about maximising lamb survival from conception to marking.
The conference will wrap-up with a talk by Catherine Marriott, Binningup, WA, a passionate advocate for Australian agriculture and the Australian beef industry and a global agricultural leader, followed by Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research red meat analyst Matt Costello, who will talk about the global outlook for red meat.
The session will conclude with a red meat panel discussion moderated by Andrew Johnson, a beef and pig producer from Tintinara, along with Teys Australia chief executive Geoff Teys and Angus Brown from AgConcepts, Hamilton, Vic, who will share their views on what farmers, agribusinesses and consultants can do to take advantage of opportunities to expand the red-meat industry and improve profitability.
Details: www.grasslands.org.au. RSVP 1300 137 550 or email office@grasslands.org.au.
