ASSISTANT Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Anne Ruston, has congratulated the horticulture industry for its unity and encouraged more of the same in her opening of Hort Connections 2018 in Brisbane last night.
The event is the largest horticulture event in Australia and is hosted by Ausveg, the Produce Marketing Association Australia New Zealand (PMA A-NZ), plus other co-hosts Apple and Pear Australia Limited, Australian Organic, the Australian Society of Horticultural Science, the Australian Horticultural Exporters’ Association, Fresh Markets Australia, Central Markets Association of Australia, Growcom, the Nursery and Garden Industry Australia, Onions Australia and Protected Cropping Australia.
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Held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, more than 3000 local and international delegates are expected to take advantage of the information sessions, networking opportunities and trade show, which runs until Wednesday.
Mrs Ruston delivered high praise to organisers and delegates.
“It’s fantastic that you are able to get together to put on this coordinated show. I think it’s a testament to your industry the fact that you understand the importance of an entire supply chain,” she said.
“It’s more than a conference – it’s a networking event.
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“This conference will go from strength to strength. Your industry, horticulture, will go from strength to strength if everybody gets on board you make this the preeminent conference for the whole of Australia and even internationally.”
She also congratulated attendees on the theme: halving waste and doubling productivity by 2030.
“It is unquestionably the challenge of the future of the world; how are we going to feed 10 billion people by 2050?” Mrs Ruston said.
“We’ve got no more land, we’re probably going to have less water and the only way you are going to do it is by growing more, with less and making sure you don’t waste stuff.”
“Congratulated on what you’ve achieved – you set the benchmark very high.”
Hort Connections spokesperson, Nathan McIntyre, said there is plenty on the menu for those attending.
“Delegates will hear from thought-provoking and inspiring speakers during a range of plenary and industry-focused speaker sessions, as well as explore the Hort Connections Trade Show, which is at full capacity,” he said.
- Follow: #HortCon18
Ashley Walmsley
For more than a decade, Ashley Walmsley has written about Australian agriculture. Having grown up on his parents smallcrops, cane and cattle property in Queensland, but clearly unable to grow anything himself, it was a natural progression for him to pursue a career writing about rural industries. He is currently the editor of Fairfax Media’s only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. When not writing about vegetables, fruits and nuts, Ashley enjoys playing and discussing video games from a simpler time, and doing impersonations of ABC radio presenters.
For more than a decade, Ashley Walmsley has written about Australian agriculture. Having grown up on his parents smallcrops, cane and cattle property in Queensland, but clearly unable to grow anything himself, it was a natural progression for him to pursue a career writing about rural industries. He is currently the editor of Fairfax Media’s only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. When not writing about vegetables, fruits and nuts, Ashley enjoys playing and discussing video games from a simpler time, and doing impersonations of ABC radio presenters.
