The Australian Farm Institute's Agriculture Roundtable Conference is being held on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 November 2010. This annual events brings together leaders in Australian agriculture, providing the opportunity to debate the strategic issues shaping the sector.

Rob Gordon, President South-East Asia and Senior Vice President for Viterra will be speaking at the Conference, on the topic of Agriculture: hitching a ride on Asia?

Registrations are now open, so please proceed here to book your seat online!

Alternatively, please download the registration form here.

Each year, conference sessions are structured around a number of themes, and this year there will be a ‘Great Debate’ on the topic of water policy development in Australia. The statement for debate is That there is too much focus on the environment in water planning decisions.

This debate will be chaired by Fran Kelly, presenter of ABC Radio National Breakfast program.

Starting 6.30pm on Wednesday 10 November for the Conference Gala Dinner, the event will be held at the Amora Hotel Jamison, 11 Jamison Street Sydney. Thursday 11 November a Conference Breakfast will be held, starting 7.30am with the Conference continuing until 5.00pm.

Full Registration at the Agriculture Roundtable Conference 2010 is $1045 (including GST) and as part of this registration, delegates will receive a 12-month subscription to the Australian Farm Institute’s Farm Policy Journal (valued at $165 including GST).

Confirmed speakers include:
Rob Gordon - President South-East Asia and Senior Vice President Viterra
Rob Gordon is responsible for leading Viterra's operations in the South-East Asia region and is also a member of Viterra's Global CEO Council, which advises the Board on the future strategic direction of the company. In Australia and New Zealand, Viterra employs 1,100 employees and operates in four interrelated areas: grain handling and marketing, agri-products, feed products and malt. Prior to joining Viterra, Rob had a career spanning 25 years in the food industry, his previous role was CEO of Dairy Farmers where he led the transformation fo the organisation from a farmer-owned cooperative to a leading branded dairy business.

Danny O’Brien - CEO of the National Irrigators’ Council
The National Irrigators’ Council was formed in 2008 to represent the interests of irrigators at a national level. Mr. O’Brien is a former newspaper and television journalist who was Chief of Staff and media adviser to the Leader of the Nationals in Victoria for four years and spent a similar amount of time as an adviser and senior adviser with former Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile. Prior to joining the NIC in 2009, he was Communications Manager at the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

Simon McKeon - Chairman CSIRO
Mr Simon McKeon was appointed as Chairman of the Board of CSIRO on 28 June 2010. Currently Mr McKeon is the Executive Chairman of Macquarie Group’s Melbourne Office, President of the Australian Government’s Takeovers Panel, Chairman of Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia and Chairman of Business for Millennium Development. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and also of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Iain Mars - CEO and Director of Swift Australia Pty Ltd.
With 28 years experience in the meat industry Iain Mars is responsible for the management of Swift's meat processing facilities and feedlot operations across Australia. Joining the Vesty Group in London in 1981, Mr Mars has retained his passion for the meat industry, working in most of the major production markets and with organisations at different stages of development and market presence. A Director of Meat and Livestock Australia, Iain has extensive executive management experience covering operations, sales and marketing roles developed during his time working in Asia, the USA, Russia, Egypt and the UK.

Dr James Neilsen - Technology Development Lead, Monsanto Australia Ltd
Dr James Nielsen started with Monsanto in September 2008 as the canola technical specialist, investigating system fit, value determination and stewardship. James became the technology development lead in April 2010, leading the technology development team in Australia focusing on the development of next generation cotton technology, cotton and canola systems work and managing scientific initiatives to support stewardship in Australia. Prior to joining Monsanto James worked for CSIRO Plant Industry in Narrabri NSW from 2003 to 2008 investigating cotton plants response to water stress. James has a PhD from the University of Tasmania, his thesis investigated “Water use of irrigated forage Brassicas”.

Dr Kate Grenot - chair of the Australian Government’s Rural Research & Development Council
The Rural Research & Development Council was established in 2009 by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Sustainable Population, and chaired by Dr Grenot. Kate is a former director of the Industry Research & Development Board (Biological Committee), the Grape and Wine Research & Development Corporation (Chair, Audit Committee), the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust (Chair, Finance Audit & Risk Management Committee) and Wirra Wirra Vineyards. Kate is a former Associate Director of Coopers & Lybrand (Government Services) and has a background in plant physiology (Sydney, Harvard) and science policy (Sussex). 

Professor Richard Kingsford - Director, Australian Wetlands and Rivers Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences of the University of NSW
Professor Kingsford was appointed by the Minister for Climate Change and Water to the Australian Government’s Environmental Flows Scientific Committee, Lower Lakes and Coorong Advisory Committee and the Lake Eyre Basin Advisory Panel. He also advises the NSW Government on the delivery of environmental flows bought from the irrigation industry through their Riverbank program. 

David Goodfellow – Chief Executive Officer, Macquarie Pastoral Fund
David has over 20 years experience in agriculture, including farm management, farm business consultancy, farm economics and benchmarking, agricultural finance, commodity marketing and agricultural risk management covering the Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Feedlot and Cropping industries.

Peter Corish - Executive Chairman, PrimeAg Australia
Peter Corish has been actively involved in agriculture since 1973.  Peter has held numerous industry positions including Director and Deputy Chairman of Namoi Cotton Co-operative (1976-1979), Chairman of Cotton Australia (1995-1999), President of the National Farmers’ Federation (2002-2006).  While NFF President, he chaired the Cairns Group Farm Leaders.

Khan Horne - General Manager Agribusiness, National Australia Bank
Khan Horne has extensive experience in banking, agribusiness and agriculture industries throughout Australia and is responsible for 580 agribusiness staff in his current role. He began working with National Australia Bank as a graduate trainee in Gunnedah, and over the past 16 years has worked in various roles in the Agribusiness division and Rural Finance centres in Tamworth, Moree, Dubbo and Sydney.

Dr Arlene Harriss-Buchan - Healthy Rivers Campaign Coordinator, Australian Conservation Foundation
Arlene leads ACF’s work on the Water for the Future program, the Living Murray, the National Water Initiative and all other issues related to rivers and water. She also sits on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s Basin Community Committee; the Commonwealth Government’s Water Recovery and Environmental Use Stakeholder Reference Panel; the Snowy River Scientific Committee; and the Stakeholder Reference Group of the National Water Commission.

David Anthony - Managing Director and CEO, Auscott Ltd.
Auscott is one of Australia’s largest integrated agribusiness organisations with extensive irrigation and cotton processing operations. David is also Chairman of the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, member of the NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ministerial Advisory Council for Primary Industries Science, member of the CSIRO Agribusiness Sector Advisory Council, and Board member of the Australian Farm Institute.