Rural enterprise, innovation and change

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  Professor Julian Cribb

  Julian is a science communicator and author of The Coming Famine: the global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it. He has received 32 awards for journalism including the Order of Australia Association Media Prize, the inaugural Eureka Prize for environmental journalism, the inaugural AUSTRADE award for international business journalism, the Dalgety Award for rural journalism, two MBF Awards for medical journalism and five Michael Daley Awards for science journalism. His published work includes more than 7,000 print articles, 1000 broadcasts, 300 speeches, 400 media releases as well as ''The Forgotten Country'', and six editions of ''Australian Agriculture''.
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  Dr David McKinna

  David is recognised as a preeminent Australian opinion maker on agrifood issues. David has been the quiet achiever behind some of Australia's best known agrifood case studies: MLA’s international and domestic marketing strategies; the original Woolworths’ The Fresh Food People supply chain program; and award-winning milk marketing strategies for Rev, Big M and Skinny milk. David has spent the best part of his career as principal of global strategy consultancy McKINNA et al. In addition to work in agrifood, McKINNA et al has a history of strategic ‘trouble shooting’ in sectors as diverse as banking, education, FMCG, retail, home improvement and public governance. The consultancy has a global project portfolio, focusing on corporate strategy and export market development and is actively engaged in most established and emerging markets of the world. His ‘tell it like it is’ style makes him a sought after speaker, writer and social commentator.
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  Professor David Hughes

  David is Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, and Visiting Professor at the University of Kent Business School and at the Royal Agricultural College, U.K. David regularly speaks at international conferences and seminars on global food industry issues, particularly consumer trends, and is a strong proponent of building vertical alliances between key chain members in the food industry – farmers, life science and input companies, ingredient firms, food and beverage manufacturers, retailers and food service. He has lived and worked in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, Africa and South East Asia. David has extensive experience as an international advisory board member with food companies and organisations in three continents. Currently he is a Non-Executive Director of Berry Gardens Ltd – a U.K. farmer-owned berry fruit business (US$300 million turnover in 2009) with a blue chip customer portfolio; and on the Advisory Board of Rabobank, UK. He works closely with senior management of food and beverage firms on business strategy development and with governments on food policy formulation.
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  Indira Naidoo

  Indira is one of Australia’s most popular broadcasters. During her 20-year journalistic career, Ms Naidoo has hosted and reported for some of the country’s most distinguished news and current affair programs including host of the ABC’s Late Edition nightly news and as the anchor of SBS TV’s award-winning late night news service the World News Tonight. For the past four years, Indira has worked as a media spokesperson and strategist for consumer advocacy group Choice and as a Geneva-based sustainability communications consultant with the United Nations’ trade development arm – The International Trade Centre. In 2009 she was selected from 2000 applicants to be trained by former US President Al Gore as a climate change presenter. She is a member of the International Slow Food Movement and has written on food and sustainability issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and Gourmet Traveller Magazine, and writes the Saucy Onion food blog.

CONFERENCE FORUMS

Open public forums will be held on; Innovation and Change; The Food Industry and Future Trends; and Financing, Viability and Profitability. The forums will be facilitated by Indira Naidoo.

FORUM EXPERT PANELS

We have invited many knowledgeable and insightful individuals to share their views, including: Matt Linnegar (CEO of National Farmers Federation, Craig Burns (General Manager of Rural Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC), Geoffrey Bell (General Manager of Australian Year of the Farmer), Danica Leys (RIRDC Rural Woman’s Award finalist and co-founder of AgChatOz) and more.

WORKSHOPS

Hands-on workshops will be held on the topics of: Social Media; Carbon Farming Opportunities and Initiatives; Weed control and Minor use chemicals; and Agritourism.

GALA DINNER & FASHION SHOW

Our conference dinner will showcase the incredible tastes and sensations of our new and emerging industries, and a fashion show will include mohair, cashmere, kangaroo leather, goat leather, crocodile leather, bamboo and more.

EXHIBITS

And based on public demand, the exhibition show will again provide networking opportunities not available at any other conference or show, with over 40 booths and virtually all new and emerging industries represented.

SPONSORSHIP

Conference sponsorship opportunities are still open, and details can be obtained by contacting lana@nria.org.au.