August 28, 2012

The change in State Government and the subsequent review of key policy areas has made this year’s AgForce State Conference a key opportunity for landholders and primary producers to have their say on the future of the rural industry, organisers say.

The 2012 State Conference, dubbed “Agriculture 2012: Your food, Our business”, will be held at Charleville Racecourse Complex on September 10-12.

AgForce General President Brent Finlay said this year’s event was particularly important given many areas of great importance to the way agriculture is run were currently being investigated by the Queensland Government.

“Policy areas including vegetation management, leasehold rents and land tenure all have an enormous bearing on the way our primary producers conduct their businesses,” Mr Finlay said.

“For this reason it is imperative as many primary producers and landholders as possible take the opportunity at the 2012 AgForce State Conference to have their say on these key issues.

“This feedback can then be taken by AgForce to the appropriate Ministers and become part of the review process.

“It is not often these types of issues are reviewed by government so we must take this opportunity while it is there.”

Other topics to be covered at the conference include foreign investment, national commodity representation, wild dogs, the supermarket duopoly and how to attract people to agriculture.

Mr Finlay said keynote speakers would address many of these areas, with time set aside for additional discussion.

Key speakers will include social commentator Keith Suter, 2011 Qld Grain Grower of the Year Peter Thompson, former Treasurer and Chairman of Australia’s biggest cotton farm Keith De Lacey, Conor English from the New Zealand Farmers Federation; and Mick Keogh from the Australian Farm Institute.