Australia: AUSVEG National Convention to take place June 25-27

AUSVEG is the peak horticultural body for Australian vegetable and potato growers. The 2015 Convention is expected to attract over 1400 delegates.James Bond is the Director of consulting firm Equity Economics, and will share his vast expertise in macroeconomics, international economics and trade policy.Chris Murphy is another highly respected figure from the world of economics. As Director of Independent Economics, Mr Murphy has extensive experience in economic modelling and is well known for developing the Murphy models of the Australian economy.

“The 2015 National Horticulture Convention will provide these two leading economics figures with the opportunity to address a wide variety of commodity growers on the serious issues affecting the industry,” said AUSVEG spokesperson, Ms Winterbottom.“We are excited that Mr Bond and Mr Murphy will join the list of well-credentialed speakers, including President and CEO of the United States Potato Board, Blair Richardson, to provide delegates with much needed information.”Speakers - President and CEO of the United States Potato Board (USPB), Mr Blair Richardson is regarded as one of the foremost minds in North American horticulture, and will provide an exciting international perspective for delegates. Mr Richardson has strong roots in American horticulture, with his family lineage and involvement in farming extending back to the mid-1800s, when Texas was still a part of Mexico.- CEO Horticulture Innovation Australia Opening Address John Lloyd is currently Chief Executive Officer, Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA). HIA is a not-for-profit, industry-owned company. It works in partnership with Australia’s horticulture industries to invest almost USD 90 million annually in research, development and marketing programs that provide benefit to industry and the wider community.- Rob De Castella, Founder and Director IMP - Indigenous Marathon Foundation, uses the marathon to inspire change in young Indigenous men and women from very remote and regional communities and cities all around Australia. He selects a squad of 12 each year and in 6 months takes them from no running to competing the biggest marathon in the world in the biggest city in the world - New York City. Things are never the same for them after that.-Tass Angelopoulos, Special Counsel National Workplace Lawyers Recent Issues/Developments in Australian Labour Law and the Impact on the Horticulture Industry Tass Angelopoulos has over 20 years experience as a labour lawyer and advocate in Australia, as a solicitor, barrister and in in house roles in industry associations. Tass works on a range of matters which includes advising on award and enterprise agreement issues, contracts and dismissals as well as industrial action. Tass regularly appears in courts and tribunals including the Fair Work Commission.- Neal Menzies, Dean of agriculture the University of Queensland - Horticulture needs an educated workforce, but as a sector it lags behind the Australian workforce in general, and tertiary educations programs across Australia are attracting fewer students. This paper considers the capacity of Australian Universities to teach horticulture, and the standing of the discipline as a research field.- Dr Debbie Hudson, Senior Research Scientist Bureau of Meteorology - Forearmed is forewarned: seasonal forecasting for horticulture Debbie Hudson is a senior research scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology working on improving seasonal climate predictions for Australia. She is currently leading the effort to fill the gap between weather forecasts and seasonal outlooks. There has been increasing demand for forecasts on this timescale, particularly from the agricultural sector.- Gianluca Di Tommaso, Global Head of Crop Management Valagro - Valagro pioneered the field of Biostimulants, which are naturally-derived formulations of compounds, substances and micro-organisms that, when applied to plants, enhance yield and improve nutritional quality. Valagro develops, manufactures and sells a broad range of Biostimulants and nutrient solutions that complement conventional agricultural inputs. Gianluca will cover Valagro’s proactive approach in Europe to improve the legislation and regulatory protocols in the development of Biostimulants, with an emphasis on what future impact this will have in Australia.- Fiona Nash, assistant minister for health - As a resident and representative of regional Australia, Minister Nash has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people living outside metropolitan Australia. Use of the drug Ice has become a big issue in rural and regional communities. The Australian Crime Commission report, released in March, states that rural and regional communities are being targeted by organized crime syndicates. It is logical enough to think that this drug could be spreading its tentacles into communities and groups on which the horticulture industry relies for labour. Minister Nash will talk about the Coalition Government’s National Ice Taskforce; its rural and regional awareness and the next steps in a National Ice Action Strategy.