The 2016 East Gippsland Beef Conference this year combines the best of both worlds – a conference in a comfortable setting, and farm visits to innovative farms in the local area.
Conference patrons can choose to visit either Shaun Beasley’s “Emu Park” farm, where measurement is king, and evidence-based agriculture is at work, Bonaccord Ingram, a large-scale vegetable and cropping business employing 200 workers, which also runs a significant beef enterprise, or the smaller Treasure’s Wuk Wuk Beef, an award-winning family beef and meat supply business which features niche marketing and value-adding.
The Conference itself will be based at the Bairnsdale Racecourse, prior to the farm visits, and features presentations from MLA CEO Richard Norton about MLA’s 2020 Strategic Plan, climate predictions from Agriculture Victoria Climate Specialist Graeme Anderson, market projections from Tim Ryan, MLA Market Analyst, representatives from Gippsland Natural explaining the concept of Carbon Neutral Beef, and a panel of store and fat cattle buyers explaining what they look for when purchasing cattle from East Gippsland.
Mark Inglis from JBS Australia will tell attendees what makes a quality beef product, Julian Carroll, a beef producer from Mudgegonga, will share his family’s production secrets, and Shasta Claire, a Tasmanian entomologist will tell us the role insects will play in our farming future.
Hot off the presses is the engagement of Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber, who will look into the future and foretell where agriculture is headed.
The post-conference dinner will be a very special event this year, as it will feature a cooking demonstration from Sam Burke, MLA Product Development Chef, who has just returned from a tour of Europe, and an Asian-inspired menu featuring local produce from local chef Jacqui Banson for all to enjoy.
The after-dinner speaker will be Harry Rijs, non-executive director of Patties Food, on the topic of “The Patties Story – The Little Bakery that Grew”.
Registrations can be made online for the event. Just go to the Eventbrite website www.eventbrite.com.au and search “East Gippsland Beef Conference 2016” and follow the prompts, contact the Bairnsdale office of Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning (DELWP) ph (03) 51520600, or contact Event Manager Craig Bush on 0427 943155 or via email at chatswortheast@activ8.net.au
The 2016 East Gippsland Beef Conference is an initiative of, and is jointly funded by, the Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport & Resources (DEDJTR), Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) “More Beef from Pastures” program, and Rabobank.
