The Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) will convene for its milestone 25th National Fodder Conference in Coffs Harbour tomorrow with a strong focus on the enormous untapped potential of the fodder industry to deliver as a national resilience tool and vital player in Australian agriculture.
Opportunities and solutions will be presented recognising the critical role fodder plays underpinning many agricultural enterprises, and the need to focus on it as an ‘every season’ national resilience tool, rather than only in times of crisis.
The two-day National Fodder Conference will bring together business leaders, researchers, and fodder industry experts to explore new technologies and understand the latest research and development outcomes.
“We need a critical mass ‘focus on fodder’ and recognition of its importance as a resilience tool. Despite significant funding for drought preparedness, there appears to be minimal focus on the national importance of fodder and the critical role it plays,” said Paula Fitzgerald, AFIA’s Chief Executive Officer.
“This year’s conference program, with the theme “Fodder = Opportunities,” will deliver a range of topics to examine reducing risk, improving productivity and profitability, and building industry resilience and success including the latest in crop science, customer updates and new tools and technologies,” she said.
Featured presentations across the two-day event include:
- Ag2050 and accelerating transformation by Dr Sabrina Greenwood, Team Leader for the Digital Livestock Team at CSIRO will outline a long-term vision of what farming businesses and communities might look like so the agricultural industry can drive progress towards farming systems for the future.
- UNE Smart Farms – Tackling Agricultural Challenges, a presentation by Dr Jonathan McLachlan, a lecturer in Pasture Science and Grazing Management at the University of New England, will highlight how these farms are delivering the space, environment and facilities to solve real-world problems.
There will also be interactive discussions and panels focused on:
- Hay fires and the art of risk management, an interactive discussion about risk management tools to remove risk and reduce hay fires.
- New fodder tools and technologies featuring three exciting innovators and the products they have developed including automatic tagging, bale time monitoring, data collection and combustion alerts.
- Plant science to boost fodder presenting an oaten hay breeding update; transforming low-quality fodder into high-quality feed ingredients; and vetch hay opportunities and barriers.
In addition, there are presentations on dairy and livestock customer updates, a resilience in dairying case study, a transport regulatory update, the opportunities uncovered by AFIA’s Fodder R, D & E Stocktake Report, the latest from machinery developers including John Deere (the major conference sponsor) and New Holland; product launches and much more!
Not only does this event deliver a packed program, there is also an exhibition hall filled with fodder industry supply chain participants AND a carpark showcasing the latest fodder machinery and equipment. Machinery on display, incorporating the latest in technology will include: large square balers, hay rakes, wheel loaders, high density balers, round balers, a tractor and a telehandler.
“Fodder has been forgotten for too long. Its time to get focus, investment and collaboration”, she concluded.