THE business of farming now and into the future will be examined at Birchip Cropping Group’s Future Farmers Expo on Wednesday.
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The annual event will feature presentations from farming and business specialists and exhibits from a range of agricultural goods and service providers.
The expo will be at Birchip P-12 School from 11am to 5pm, with dinner to follow.
Farm and weather data management and sharing, succession planning, business structures, machinery economics, in-season technical information and the seasonal outlook will be discussed during six presentations throughout the day.
Keynote speakers include Bureau of Meteorology’s Catherine Ganter, Kaniva farmer and 2015 NUffield scholarship recipient Jonathan Dyer, Farm 360’s Simon Craig, Dad’s Oats’ Matt Cain and Settler and Sons’ Kirby Kaye.
Birchip Cropping Group chief executive Chris Sounness will lead a discussion on collecting and sharing weather station data with Watchem farmer Chris Colbert and Murtoa farmer Paul Petering.
The two farmers will discuss the usefulness of having real time weather data on hand to support decision making about spray timing, fertiliser application plus other farm operations.
Mr Sounness said the event would address many of the challenges and opportunities farmers were negotiating both in paddocks and back in the farm office.
“It will be great to hear how growers in our area are using data in practice, with Paul, Chris and Jonathan all embracing the information available and applying it to decision making,” he said.
“However, the reason why big data is exciting but different to previous farm innovations is the amount of value that might be available to the agricultural value chain.”
BCG events manager Ciara Cullen said the expo was designed to showcase how innovative business models were helping to future-proof Australian farm businesses.
“The Future Farmers Expo is a holistic farm business event bringing together exhibitors but also specialist speakers and farmers with real experience to share their knowledge on a range of topics because, as I have said before, some of the best learning farmers can do is from other farmers,” she said.
The day will also include a look at the cost of machinery, is it more economical to buy, share or contract, and the forecast for the season will be presented by Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Catherine Ganter.
The expo will be followed by a social networking tapas dinner, which this year is at the Birchip Hotel for $30.
Entry to the expo is free for BCG members and $50 for non-members.
Ms Cullen said anyone wanting more information could call BCG on 5492 2787 or visit www.bcg.org.au.