28 FEB 2023

Australian Summer Grains Conference 2023

Elders is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the 5th Australian Summer Grains conference this year, which is due to kick off on March 13 at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

The 2023 event will again be hosted by the joint venture partners comprising sorghum, maize, sunflower, soybean and mungbean under the banner of “Sustainable, Resilient, Innovative, Profitable”. This conference will feature renowned scientists, marketers, growers and leading industry identities from overseas and within Australia.

The conference will run over three days, concluding with the Elders Gala Dinner and Industry awards night. The impressive number of speakers covers all things summer grains including some of the latest technology and market analysis.

Australian Summer Grains Chair and Elders Technical Services Manager QLD/NT, Maree Crawford outlines the benefits of the conference.

“The conference brings together several key stakeholders in the summer grains industry to ensure continuous improvement of what is a crucial part of the broadacre cropping sector in Australia.

“The highlights of the conference include a large range of speakers, young leader’s forum, sustainability stream, workshop for farmers and advisors facilitated by Farm Owners Academy culminating with the industry awards night which will be opened by Elders Managing Director and CEO Mark Allison.”

The Ben Coleman Memorial Award will be a highlight of the gala event. This award is for a young farmer who is progressive and innovative and contributing greatly to the industry and local farming community.

The Zoe McInnes Memorial Agronomist Award will be perhaps the most anticipated part of the three-day conference. This Award was established in memory of much loved and valued agronomist Zoe McInnes, who was tragically lost to the industry in a farming accident in 2013. Zoe epitomized the passion and dedication required to continually improve outcomes for the industry through her commitment to providing the best solutions to clients and her own personal development during her career.

Four young agronomists have been nominated for the award Alexandra Trinder from HMag, Angus Dalgleish from Nutrien, Cameron Silburn from DAF Qld, and Elders agronomist Millie Bach.

Millie is a well-known agronomist based in Dalby specialising in a range crops including summer grains and cotton. She grew up in a grain growing family at Jandowae and worked for three years as a jillaroo in Western Australia and the Northern Territory before heading to Armidale to obtain degrees in agriculture and management.

Millie spent three years in grain trading before joining Elders Dalby in her first agronomy role in 2017, right in the middle of the drought.

We wish Millie and all the nominees the very best in what will be a night of celebrations for outstanding contributions to the summer grains industry.

For more information on the conference, please visit their website.