Agriculture Roundtable Conference 2007

The Australian Farm Institute's 2007 Agriculture Roundtable Conference was convened at Aitken Hill, near Melbourne, on 8–9 November.

To view the Conference Program

See below for links to view the Conference Presentations

The Conference provided leaders in Australian agriculture with an opportunity to consider and discuss the strategic issues that are likely to shape the future of Australian agriculture over the next decade.

Participants included invited speakers, leaders of Australian agribusiness companies, corporate and family-farm operators, researchers and policy-makers, as well as members of the Institute's Board and Research Advisory Committee.

Guest speaker at the Conference Dinner held on Thursday 8 November was Doug Rathbone AM, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nufarm Limited.

The Conference was officially opened on Friday, 9 November by Ambassador Bruno Julien, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Australia and New Zealand.

The opening address was followed by sessions on:

• Climate Change Policy and Emissions Trading
• Water
• Labour and Skills in Agriculture
• Food Marketing and Trade
• Important strategic questions for agriculture

Delegates participated in an open forum discussion as a part of each session.

David Combie, President of National Farmers Federation, gave the closing address.

Conference Presentations

Session 1: Climate Change Policy and Emissions Trading
Charlie Pedersen, Federated Farmers of New Zealand

Dr Martin Parkinson, Secretariat to the Prime Mininsterial Task Group on Emissions Trading

Session 2: Water
Professor Peter Cullen AO FTSE, National Water Commission

Dr Arlene Buchan, Australian Conservation Foundation

Session 3: Labour and Skills in Agriculture
Phillip Glyde, ABARE

Session 4: Food Marketing and Trade
Professor David Hughes, Imperial College, UK