The Fair Farms Annual Conference is back again!
After the success of our inaugural conference in 2022, we’re proud to announce that the Fair Farms Conference is making a comeback!
Held at Cargo Hall, in the heart of Melbourne City’s vibrant Southbank district on Friday 20 October 2023.
Industry experts, growers, workplace relations specialists, and peak industry bodies will come together in one place to discuss ethical sourcing within Australian horticulture,
basing conversations around our conference tag line;
“Perspectives & Solutions in Australian Horticulture”
This event will serve as a meeting place for discussion, for networking and for questions for leading industry members.
Attendees include both State and Federal Government representatives, Peak Industry Bodies, Regional Hort Bodies, Supply Chain Partners, Service Providers,
Thought Leaders, Influencers and of course, Farmers & Growers.
Introducing our Keynote Speaker…
Bernard Salt is one of Australia’s leading social commentators, demographers and business analysts.
Bernard writes two weekly columns for The Australian newspaper that deal with social, generational and demographic matters.
He draws upon vast datasets to interpret the overall trajectory of social change in the past, and into the future.
He argues that social and cultural change are rising forces that are reshaping the way we live, how we work and even how we form relationships.
Bernard’s analytical mind will provide unmissable perspectives on the future of Australian Horticulture.
Making his return is Steve Ronson, who took to the stage at the 2022 Fair Farms Conference.
Steve Ronson is the Executive Director of Enforcement for The Fair Work Ombudsman, where he prioritises promoting productive and
harmonious workplace relations while ensuring compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws.
With extensive experience managing federal-level workplace relations inspectorates for nearly two decades, he has also advised state and federal parliamentarians.
Steven is particularly interested in deliberative democracy and innovative regulatory models.
We will also welcome Steve Burdette, representing Approved Employers of Australia.
Steve Burdette is the Executive Officer at Approved Employers of Australia, with robust experience in agribusiness.
Steve has a diverse skill set that encompasses field packing, logistics, marketing, commercialising intellectual property rights, restructuring and mergers,
as well as establishing extensive networks and relationships both nationally and internationally. He possesses expert knowledge in all facets of horticultural
supply chains, ranging from orchard development with a focus on drought mitigation strategies and environmental sustainability, all the way to market implementation..
Bringing the voice of the agricultural community from our host state of Victoria, we welcome Emma Germano
Emma Germano is the President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, as well as Managing Director of her families mixed farm operation, I Love Farms.
As current Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President, Emma has represented the industry for the past two years, and strives to be a strong voice,
representing Victorian growers and ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for agriculture in Australia.
And taking the podium as one of our Victorian Fair Farms members to talk about his farm is Brendan Haar
Brendan Haar is the General Manager of Haars Nursery and one of our Victorian Fair Farms Members.
Brendan will take to the stage to talk about his family’s nursery, and what fair and ethical sourcing means to their business.
More speakers to be announced soon!
This year, we will focus the topic of conversation, the focus from our speakers and the questions to our panels at the Fair & Ethical Sourcing Conference around the following topics.
– Fair Work and WHS regulation
– ESG & Ethical Sourcing programs
– Challenges and solutions in Ethical Sourcing
– Case studies on successful practices
– The Modern Slavery Act and it’s implications on Australian Horticulture.
These will serve as a baseline, for ways to identify how the industry can adapt and continue to support, and to celebrate Australian growers and Horticulture workers.
The Fair Farms Program is currently the only Australian Training & Certification Program for fair and ethical employment practices on farm,
developed for industry and supported by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
The Fair Farms Program and Conference is being developed and delivered by Growcom Australia which is also acting as the PIB for Queensland Horticulture.
Location
The Cargo Hall
39 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf, Melbourne VIC 3006
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