Every year the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) organises a set of Regional Outlook Conferences in different regions of Australia. ABARES works with local organisations of the region where it is being held to develop a tailored conference program and address key local agricultural issues and commodities.

The 2018 ABARES Regional Outlook Conference was held in the Barossa Valley, South Australia on Wednesday 26 September, bringing together around 70 delegates from around the region to examine the key issues for agriculture. The one-day conference was divided into three different sessions, each followed by a panel discussion, addressing three of the biggest issues affecting the future of our industry:

  • Creating value in an increasingly connected world
  • Technology: changing the way we do agriculture
  • Farming in a changing environment.

The conference began with senior ABARES economist Peter Gooday presenting on the big picture issues affecting agriculture. Regionally based speakers and delegates discussed a range of issues including the latest commodity data and economic trends, industry challenges and strategies for growth, climate and weather trends, and using technology for improved on-farm decisions, as well as striving for better outcomes by making better family decisions.

Presentations like ‘Using drones to monitor and assess crops’ and awareness on ‘Mesonet: an automatic weather station to combat spray drift’ were the most popular on the day, grabbing the attention of many of the delegates. After lunch, ABARES research economist Charley Xia presented an economic overview of the Barossa region and its key agricultural commodities, as well as some economic forecasts.

Delegates from across the industry, public and private sectors valued hearing the latest commodity forecasts, discussing industry trends and emerging issues, and the chance to make new contacts in their community. Overall, the one-day free conference was a great way for delegates to build on their industry knowledge and network with colleagues from businesses across the region, as well as to hear commodity updates and learn more about emerging opportunities in the sector.

This post appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 09 October 2018. Subscribe to the Update using our online form to receive the latest industry news in your inbox every week!