Program
The Hort Connections 2024 Program will continue to be updated as we draw closer to the event
The Hort Connections team is beginning to put together an exciting and informative program for 2024. We are eager to show you all what is in store. To be notified of Program announcements, please ensure you are subscribed to our mailing list.
Farm and Retail Tours
Farm Tours, and Retail Tour are not included within the All-Access Pass and is to be booked separately.
Retail Tour: 8:00 – 12:15
Werribee Farm Tour: 6:45 - 16:00
Epping Market & Yarra Valley Farm Tour - Sponsored by Entegra Signature Structures: 5:00 - 15:00
Mornington Peninsula Farm Tour: 6:45 - 14:45
Welcome Reception
Perfection Fresh Breakfast
08:00 - 08:10:
Welcome to Country
08:20 - 09:00:
Keynote Speaker: Doing Business Differently: Lucy Bloom - Former Chief Executive Officer, Sunrise Cambodia and Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia
Trade Show Open
Trade Show Speaker Sessions
Cultivation Corner
09:30 - 09:50:
Session 1: TBC
09:50 - 10:10:
Session 2: The Future of Agriculture: Microbiomes as Drivers of Soil and Plant Health: Dr Neil Wilson - Director of Research, Metagen Pty Ltd
10:10 - 10:30:
Session 3: AusAgritech Innovation Showcase
10:30 - 11:10:
Session 4: Empowering Consumer Capital in Agriculture - Sharing the Risk, Sharing the Reward, Sharing the Stories: Nathan MacPhee - Founder, IIF (Invest Inya Farmer)
11:10 - 11:50:
Session 5: Brands Influence on Produce Premuims and Consumption Panel:
Panellists:
•Belinda Van Schaik - Head of Customer Marketing, Hort Innovation
•Matthew Palise - Director, Red Rich Fruit (NSW)
•Elisa Siliato - National Marketing and Innovation Manager, Costa Group - Mushroom and Tomatoes
Host: Matthew Crouch - Co-Founder/Creative Director, Soto Group
11:50 - 12:10:
Session 6: Cultivating Leadership Excellence in Horticulture: Georgia Stormont - Sales & High Performing Teams Coach, Curious Georgia Coaching
12:10 - 12:30:
Session 7: World Vegetable Map 2024 - Global Trends and Vegetable Trade Flows: Pia Piggott - RaboResearch Associate Analyst, Rabobank
13:30 - 13:50:
Session 8: Levelling Up Vegetable and Onion Business Performance: Paul Omodei - Consultant, Planfarm
13:50 - 14:10:
Session 9: Advanced Gas Phase Food Safety and Shelf-Life Extension, Development and Case Studies: Andrew Inglis - Director, Cellysis Pty Ltd
14:10 - 14:30:
Session 10: Fingerlimes, An Emerging Industry That by Providence, Australia Should Lead: Jade King - Director & Owner, Green Valley Fingerlimes
14:30 - 14:50:
Session 11: Australia's Fresh Produce Markets - The Vital Link: Shane Schnitzler - Chair, Fresh Markets Australia
14:50 - 15:30:
Session 12: TBC
15:30 - 15:50:
Session 13: Global Sustainable Packaging Case Studies: Paving the Way Forward:
•Campbell Banfield - Divisional Manager - Grape Marketing, Costa Group
•Dean Parsons - Sustainability Programmes Manager, CHEP Australia
Host: Tamara Muruetagoiena - Vice President of Sustainability, International Fresh Produce Association
15:50 - 16:10:
Session 14: How to Control & Handle Potatoes After Harvesting in an Efficient Way: Maarten van Delden - Sales Development,Tolsma Australia
16:10 - 16:30:
Session 15: From Compliance to Value Added - Saving Growers Money to Making Growers Money: Callum McCluskey - Head of Sales, AgriSmart
16:30 - 16:50:
Session 16: The Medical Cannabis Size of Opportunity for New Australian Cannabis Cultivators: Adam Benjamin - Founder & CEO, Standard Botanic
Trade Show Speaker Sessions
Plant Pavilion
09:30 - 09:50:
Session 1: TBC
09:50 - 10:10:
Session 2: Growing Australian Horticulture Exports Penny Measham - Director of Tropical Fruit and Market Access, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
10:10 - 10:50:
Session 3: Tech and Innovation Showcase, sponsored by UPL:
10:50 - 11:10:
Session 4: TBC
11:10 - 11:30:
Session 5: Leveraging Innovation Through a Sustainability Lens for Long-Term Grower Benefit: Andrew Muir - Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, E.E. Muir & Sons
11:30 - 12:10:
Session 6: Seeka Marketer of the Year Award, produced by IFPA and Produce Plus: Finalist Showcase
12:10 - 12:30:
Session 7: TBC
13:30 - 13:50:
Session 8: TBC
13:50 - 14:10:
Session 9: Ending Food Waste for People, the Planet and Industry Profitability: Melissa Smith – Horticulture Lead and Technical Account Manager, End Food Waste Australia
14:10 - 14:30:
Session 10: Future Drought Fund: Tim Sides – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
14:30 - 14:50:
Session 11: Facial Recognition in Horticulture - Why It Helps to Know Who's Who on your Farm: Henrietta Child – CEO, Agricultural Picking Technology (AgPick)
14:50 - 15:10:
Session 12: Filling Labour Gaps in Rural and Regional Australia –Tthe Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme: Jason Stott – First Assistant Secretary - Pacific Labour Operations, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
15:10 - 15:30:
Session 13: Achieving Sustainable Horticulture in WA: A Food Systems Perspective: Dr Peter Batt – Professor, Food and Agribusiness, Curtin University
15:30 - 15:50:
Session 14: Harnessing the Power your Produce Provides: Reeanjou Ram – CEO, iTrazo Tracetech
Diversity & Inclusion / Women in Horticulture Speaker Sessions
12:00 - 12:30:
Diversity & Inclusion: TBC: Debbie Lee - National Womens and Action Plan Lead, Australian Football League
12:30 - 13:30: Lunch
13:40 - 14:50:
Women in Horticulture: TBC: Brooke Hanson OLY OAM - Chief Motivation Officer, Lane 6 Australia Pty Ltd
Lunch
Trade Show Open
Plenary Sessions
Sponsored by
08:30 - 08:45:
Brett Fifield - CEO, Hort Innovation
08:45 - 09:00:
TBC
09:00 - 09:30:
Session 1: TBC: Su McCluskey - Special Representative for Australian Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
09:30 - 10:00:
Session 2: State of the Industry Panel:
Panellists:
•Andrew Tout - Head of Agriculture/Chair, Centuria Capital Group/Protected Cropping Australia
•Emma Herd - Partner Climate Change & Sustainability & Co-Leader of the EY Net Zero Centre, Ernst Young
•John Said - CEO/Executive Chairman, Fresh Select (Aust)/Nutri V
Host: Ben Hoodless - Managing Director A-NZ, International Fresh Produce Association
10:30 - 11:00:
Session 3: Rebalancing the Supplier – Retailer Relationship Dr Craig Emerson - Managing Director, Emerson Economics
11:00 - 11:20:
Session 4: Plenary Session Awards
11:20 - 11:50:
Session 5: TBC
12:40 - 13:10:
Session 6: Sustainability in Fresh Produce – A Global Perspective: Tamara Muruetagoiena - Vice President of Sustainability, International Fresh Produce Association
Morning Tea
Supply Chain and Consumers Stream
13:20 - 13:40:
Session 1: Improving Consumer Experience Through Orchard and Postharvest Management of Apricots:
Dr Jill Stanley - Science Group Leader - Fruit Crops Physiology, Plant & Food Research
13:40 - 14:00:
Session 2: Cultivating Safety through the Horticulture Food Safety Initiative in Australia and New Zealand:
Susannah Roelofsz - Technical Officer, Fresh Produce Safety Centre
14:00 - 14:20:
Session 3: How Suppliers can Eliminate Waste and Emissions in your Produce Supply Chain:
Dean Parsons - Sustainability Programmes Manager, CHEP Australia
14:20 - 14:40:
Session 4: Safety, The Hardest Thing to Grow: Learnings from the Fresh Produce Safety Network:
Dr Sarah Oxford - Senior Researcher, Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research at Monash University
14:40 - 15:00:
Session 5: Transforming Horticulture - Carbon Management and Reporting:
Francois Visser - Founder/Managing Director, Carbon Friendly
Growing and Farming Stream
13:20 - 13:40:
Session 1: Enabling a Viable Table Grape Industry in Northern Australia by Genetic and Physiology:
Dr Michael Considine - Principal Research Fellow, University of Western Australia
13:40 - 14:00:
Session 2: Has Australia Reached the Crest of its Export Potential:
Wayne Prowse - Principal and Senior Analyst, Fresh Intelligence Consulting
14:00 - 14:20:
Session 3: More Fruits and Veg on the Plate: An Evidence Based Approach:
Dr Cathy Wilkinson - Chief Executive Officer, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation
14:20 - 14:40:
Session 4: The Evolution of Health-Conscious Eating:
Maya Shehayeb - General Manager - Australasia, Euromonitor International
14:40 - 15:00:
Session 5: Carbon Farming 101:
Clinton Muller - Senior Consultant, RMCG
