Digital ABARES forum responds to ‘uncertain times’

9/3/21

Last week’s annual Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) conference saw a note of optimism despite multiple systemic challenges to primary producers.

More than 1200 digital attendees registered for events from 2 to 5 March covering agriculture-related industries such as forestry, fishing and fibre along with concepts such as deglobalisation and trade, Shanna Wong writes for Food & Beverage Industry News. 

The conference took place with the theme, ‘Growing Australian agriculture in an uncertain world’, with federal agriculture minister David Littleproud delivering the opening address, according to Queensland Country Life.

The next digital conference for agriculture stakeholders to put in their calendar is the Food Agility Summit, taking place on the 15^th and 16^th March.

The forum will feature Woolworths Group Chair Gordon Cairns as the keynote speaker, according to Food Processing.

Minister Littleproud has announced this year’s winners of the Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The awards recognise innovators aged 18 and 35 years old for developing a project from which Australia’s primary industries can benefit.

University of Southern Queensland researcher Fraser Border won $22,000 in the Australian Meat Processor category and another $22,000 in the Minister’s Award category for his project, technology that enables meat processors to trim lean beef more accurately, according to Beef Central.

Border’s project uses ultrasound sensors to calculate the depth of fat on a strip of loin and send the information to meat slicers using augemented reality.

“The more you get into robotics, the more you realise just how great humans are at doing things,” Border said.

Applications are now open for the 2021 Beef Industry Awards, which recognise Australian achievements in the industry.

There are three categories open to nominations: Beef Achiever of the Year; Producer Innovation of the Year; and, Young Beef Ambassador of the Year, Shan Goodwin writes for Queensland Country Life.

Applications to the awards close on the 25^th of March and winners will be announced at the Beef 2021 conference in Rockhampton in May.

Inaugural Beef Achiever of the Year Dalene Wray told Queensland Country Life, “"Australian agriculture has a very important role to play in global supply chains and in the last three years we have seen a positive move towards a more outward-looking focus in our industry."

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