MEDIA RELEASE

3 July 2013

Farmers arrive in Ashburton for Federated Farmers 2013 National Conference

Farmers are congregating in Ashburton for Federated Farmers 2013 National Conference, which starts today and will run through to Friday.

“Federated Farmers is delighted to be back in Canterbury for our key national event,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers President.

“We have a full programme kicking off with three Industry Group Annual General Meetings for Dairy, Meat & Fibre and Grain & Seed.

“These start today and it is fair to say that precision agriculture and the red-meat sector’s future will dominate discussion. 

“We look forward to hearing from our colleagues at Meat Industry Excellence, as well as from industry experts, leaders and insiders.

“This will also feature one of the first talks by New Zealand’s Special Agriculture Trade Envoy, Mike Petersen, since his confirmation in the role.

“On Thursday afternoon our Plenary Day kicks-off and this is about generating new thinking and ideas.  We are using external panellists to get discussion flowing on Local Government’s Future; Water Partnerships for Progress and Rural New Zealand & Agriculture with the Next Generation.

“On Thursday evening is Federated Farmers National Awards in association with Vodafone. 

“Here we will announce our Agri-Personality and Allflex Agri Businessperson for 2013.  This night is also the only opportunity where all of agriculture’s major award winners come together under the same roof.  It is a galaxy of farming talent. 

“If that is not enough, the Federation’s formal business day takes place on Friday.  This will also feature a focus on Adverse Events and Federated Farmers role in them.  Somewhat timely given recent snow and of course, the 2013 drought,” Mr Wills concluded.   

2013 National Conference details

Venue:            Hotel Ashburton
11-35 Racecourse Road
Ashburton 7700

When:             Wednesday, 3 July to Friday, 5 July

For a location map, please click here

2013 Conference Highlights

§  Wednesday, 3 July 2013 – Industry Group showcase (10am-5pm)

§  Thursday, 4 July 2013 – Plenary Day 2013 (1.30pm- 5.30pm) on Local Government Tomorrow; Water, Partnerships for Progress and Rural New Zealand & Agriculture with the Next Generation. 

Keynote Speech:  Hon Amy Adams MP, Minister for the Environment

§  Thursday, 4 July 2013 – Cocktails (5.30pm) and National Awards 2013 (7.30pm onwards).  This is the only event assembling all of the major agricultural award winners in the same place and under the same roof.  Media are invited to this gala evening.

§  Friday, 5 July 2013 – 2013 Federated Farmers National Council AGM.

Detailed agenda day one: Wednesday, 3 July 2013 (Hotel Ashburton)

2013 Federated Farmers Dairy Conference (day one)

10.30 am          Opening address Willy Leferink - Chairperson, Federated Farmers Dairy

11.00 am          Provincial reports

11.30 am          Immigration package for dairy farmers Kara Lok - Policy Advisor, Federated Farmers of New Zealand

12.00 noon        Smart resource use Meridian Energy

12.30 pm          LUNCH

1.30 pm            TAF Aaron Jenkins - General Manager, TAF and David McLeod - Director, Fonterra

2.15 pm            From our land to yours Rod Quin - CEO, Westland Milk Products

3.00 pm            AFTERNOON TEA

Joint Session with Federated Farmers Grain & Seed
3.30 pm            Precision farming Craige MacKenzie - Mid-Canterbury farmer and Ian Yule - Professor of Precision Agriculture, Massey University

4.30 pm            Feeding cows Neville Prendergast - CEO, Dairy Business Centre

2013 Meat & Fibre Conference (day one)

10.00 am         Conference Opens: Welcome morning tea

10.30 am          Start of Conference: Housekeeping Announcements

10.40 am          Welcome, Discussion of agenda, Chairperson and Policy Advisors Report

11.00 am          Meat & Fibre Executive elections

11.45 am          Remits and Discussion Items

12:30 pm          LUNCH

1.30 pm            Richard Young - Chairman, Meat Industry Excellence Group “MIE Update”

1.45 pm            “CULTURE CHANGE: THE NEW BEGINNING IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY”
SPEAKERS:
Hamish Gow - Professor of Agribusiness at Massey University
Doug Leeder - past Chairman of Bay Milk Products and the New Zealand Dairy Group “A Dairy Industry Perspective (Media may listen to Mr Leeder BUT NOT report)”
Reese Hart - past Chairman of Silver Fern Farms “A Meat Industry Perspective”
Dr Michelle Shields - Organisation Development Institute “The Importance of Leadership in Culture Change”

FACILITATOR: Richard Loe – Radio LiveSport host and farmer – includes a panel discussion

3:00 pm            AFTERNOON TEA

3.30 pm            “Culture Change: The New Beginning in the Meat Industry” (Continued)

5.00 pm            Remits and Discussion Items/Elections (Continued)

2013 Grain & Seed Conference (day one)

9.30 am            United Wheat Growers AGM

10.30 am          MORNING TEA

10.45 am          Herbage Seed Subsection AGM

11.15 am          Nick Pyke (FAR)

11.30 am          David Geary and Gerard Lysaught (Asurequality)

11.45 am          Grain & Seed AGM

12.30 pm           LUNCH

1.30 pm            Michael Tayler

2.00 pm            David Birkett

2.30 pm            Don Hart

3.00 pm            AFTERNOON TEA

Joint Session with Federated Farmers Dairy

3.30 pm            Precision farming Craige MacKenzie - Mid-Canterbury farmer and Ian Yule - Professor of Precision Agriculture, Massey University

4.30 pm            Feeding cows Neville Prendergast - CEO, Dairy Business Centre

§  5.30-7pm: Joint Industry Cocktail Networking Function (Hotel Ashburton)

§  7.30pm: Joint Industry Dinner featuring the 2013 Grain & Seed Awards (Hotel Ashburton

MEDIA RSVP: by 12pm on 1 July for the joint industry dinner by clicking here.

Detailed agenda day two: Thursday, 4 July 2013 (Hotel Ashburton)

2013 Federated Farmers Dairy Conference (day two)

8.00 am            Minutes of Federated Farmers Dairy Council meeting held 21 -22 February 2013

8.30 am            Dairy Executive Elections

9.00 am            Remits, discussion items, general business

9.30 am            Federated Farmers Dairy strategy Andrew Hoggard - Vice-chairperson, Federated Farmers Dairy

10.0 am            MORNING TEA

10.30 pm          New Zealand Dairy Strategy Tim Mackle - CEO, DairyNZ

11.10 am          Remits, discussion items, general business.

12.00 noon        Close AGM

2013 Meat & Fibre Conference (day two)

10.00 am          MORNING TEA

10.30 am          Mike Petersen - Chairman, Beef + Lamb New Zealand “An Update”

11.15 am          “Dangerous Decibels”

12.00 pm          Conference Summary

2013 Federated Farmers Plenary: Thursday, 4 July 2013 (Ashburton Trust Event Centre).

1.30 pm            Plenary Showcase Opens

1.35 pm            Local Government Tomorrow: The impact on New Zealand’s greatest export sector
§  His Worship, Angus McKay, Mayor of Ashburton District
§  His Worship, Kelvin Coe, Mayor of Selwyn District
§  Peter Townsend – Chief Executive, Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce
§  Katie Milne – Federated Farmers Local Government spokesperson

Facilitated by Conor English, Chief Executive of Federated Farmers

2.45 pm            Water, Partnerships for Progress
§  Hon Amy Adams MP, Minster for the Environment
§  Ian Mackenzie, Federated Farmers Environment spokesperson
§  Neil Heather, immediate past Rotorua-Taupo provincial president
§  Andrew Newman, CEO, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
§  Cr Pat McEvedy of Selwyn District Council
§  Dr Tom Stephens of DairyNZ

Facilitated by Ian Mackenzie, Federated Farmers Environment spokesperson

3.45 pm            AFTERNOON TEA

4.20 pm            Keynote speech: Hon Amy Adams MP, Minister for the Environment

4.50 pm           Rural New Zealand & Agriculture with the Next Generation

5.30 pm            Plenary close

MEDIA RSVP: by 12pm on 1 July for the Plenary by clicking here.

Detailed agenda day two: Thursday, 4 July 2012 (continued)

2013 Federated Farmers National Awards

5.30pm             National Conference Cocktail Function (Ashburton Trust Event Centre).

7.30pm             2013 Vodafone/Federated Farmers National Awards

§  Federated Farmers Agri Personality of the Year
§  Allflex Agri Business Person of the Year
§  Vodafone/Federated Farmers’ Cream of the Crop Awards is the only event which assembles all of the major agricultural award winners all in the same place and under the same roof.  Media are invited to attend this gala evening.

MEDIA RSVP: by 12pm on 1 July for the Awards dinner by clicking here.

Detailed agenda day three: Friday, 5 July 2013

Federated Farmers 2013 National Council Annual General Meeting

7.30 am            National Council AGM Registrations Open

8.00 am            National Council AGM Commences

8.30 am            President’s Address - Bruce Wills

8.45 am            Elections - Candidate Speeches (if applicable)

9.00 am            CLOSED SESSION

10.00 am           MORNING TEA

10.30 am          CLOSED SESSION

12.00 noon        Lunch

1.00 pm            Adverse Events – Katie Milne, Federated Farmers Adverse Events spokesperson

1.15 PM            Remits and Soapbox continue

2.00 pm            General Business

3.00 pm            Close of the 2013 National Council AGM

ENDS

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