Speaker Sessions
Missed a Session at Hort Connections 2025?
Thankfully, we recorded almost every session that took place in Brisbane . Sit back and catch up on some of the most educational and informative content from Hort Connections 2025. Thank you to all sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, growers, industry members and attendees for your continual support of Hort Connections, further cementing it as Australia and New Zealand’s premiere horticulture event.
AVIS25 - 1: Trans-Tasman Perspectives on Future Proofing Farms in Australia & New Zealand Panel
John Murphy - Vegetables NZ, Michael Hicklin – LeaderBrand NZ, Kim Ngov - The Australian Cambodian Growers Association of NSW, Ed Windley - Kengoon Farming and Carl Larsen - RMCG
Session 2: VegNET - Your Levies Delivering Impact Panel
Zarmeen Hassan - AUSVEG, Cherry Emerick - VegNET, Garry Spotswood - Mt Alma Fresh Organics and Richelle Kelly – VegNET
Session 3: Veg Mech (VG23003) Automated Seeding & Weeding of Brassicas: Does It Work? Panel
Ian Layden - QDPI, Troy Qualischefski - Qualipac Produce, James Terry - Cloudfarming and James Terry – Cloudfarming,
Session 6: An Integrated Disease Management Program for the Australian Potato Industry
Audrey Leo, Simplot Australia
Session 8: An integrated disease management program for the Australian Potato Industry
Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh, Western Sydney University
Plenary - Assistant Minister for Agriculture Address
Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm, Australian Labor Party
Plenary Session 1: The Australian Vegetable Industry’s Journey Towards Automation and Mechanisation
Tom McCue, Hort Innovation
Plenary Session 2: Learning How Regenerative Agriculture Can Work in Horticulture; Growing the Same Yields with Lower Inputs
Julius Joel, G's
Thursday Session 1: The Future of Market Price Transparency is Here - Discover FreshData
Shane Schnitzler - Fresh Markets Australia and Gail Woods – Fresh Markets Australia
Thursday Session 2: Hot Topics In Vegetables - Unlocking the Key Drivers Of Business Success
Donna Lucas - RMCG, Lauren Jones - RMCG, Adam Schreurs - Schreurs & Sons and Thea Walker – Planfarm
Thursday Session 3: Challenges and Opportunities in European Produce Markets; Our Efforts to Marry Profits and Growth
Julius Joel, G's
Thursday Session 4: Reposition your Agribusiness Asset-Base to Unlock Value and Maximise Returns
Rawdon Briggs - Colliers Australia, James Nilsson - Colliers New Zealand, Jesse Manuel - Colliers Australia and Michael Noon - Next Rural Queensland
Thursday Session 5: How to Get Your Story on the News: Insider Secrets for Media Success
Jemma O'Hanlon, Foodwatch
Thursday Session 6: How The Use of AI and Machine Learning Can Help Farmers In Realtime to Better at What They Do
Charles Simons, BioScout
Thursday Session 8: Building Resilient Farm Systems for Unpredictable Future
Ram Kishore Savana, Enable Ag
Thursday Session 9: Plus One Serve of Veg by 2030 - Driving Consumer Demand to Grow a Healthier and More Prosperous Australia
Justine Coates, Plus One Serve
Thursday Session 11: Integrating Technologies to Achieve Sustainability and Profit: “Neo” Stimulants and Microbials
Pascual Bauset, Servalesa
Thursday Session 12: Leveraging Global Connections for Horticultural Growth
Su McCluskey, Special Representative of Australian Agriculture
Friday Session 1: Keeping up With the Latest Category Insights on Fruit, Vegetables and Nuts Using Hort IQ
Wendy Hubbard - Hort Innovation and Shansel Sami - Nielsen IQ
Friday Session 2: Next Generation Barcodes - Success for Consumer Engagement, Export, Certification and Anti-Counterfeit
Caroline Barrett, GS1
Thursday Session 2: Strategic Immigration Solutions - Tackling Labor Shortages in Australia's Agricultural Sector
Samantha Norman, Mapien
Thursday Session 3: Synergizing Hygienic Design & Operational Excellence for Advancing Food Safety
Lina Ashmore, Intralox
Thursday Session 5: How the Grocery Code Can Help in Your Price and Volume Discussions with Retailers
Neil Rechlin, NextGen Group
Thursday Session 6: Horticulture's New Protected Cropping Program: Growing Horticulture Through Protected Cropping
Dr Gordon Rogers, Applied Horticultural Research
Thursday Session 7: The Role of Advanced Sensory Science in Growing Demand for Horticultural Produce
Dr Djin Gie Liem, Deakin University
Thursday Session 8: Regulating Agricultural Chemicals to Support Australia’s Horticultural Industries
Scott Hansen, Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
Thursday Session 9: Packaging Without Packaging - How Digital Technology is Transforming Packaging
Michael Dosser, Results Group
Thursday Session 10: Pathways for Safe Trade - Improving Access to Markets Through Science and Collaboration
Jane Muller, CSIRO
Thursday Session 11: Global Fresh Produce Industry Developments: Implications for Australian Horticulture
Dr David Hughes, Imperial College London
Thursday Session 12: Beyond the Burden - Reclaiming Value of Good Agricultural Practice in a Holistic Food Safety System
Jane Siebum - Freshcare and Andrew Redman - Perfection Fresh
Thursday Session 13: Who's Interested In Your Carbon Number?
Noel Ainsworth, Queensland Department of Primary Industries
Friday Session 2: Harnessing the Power of AI in Horticulture
Elad Mardix - Clarifresh, Josh Cross - Jane’s Weather and Siddharth Jadhav - Polybee
Friday Session 3: Seeka Marketer of the Year Award produced by IFPA and Produce Plus: Finalist Showcase
Presented by Tim Withers - IFPA A-NZ and Liam O’Callaghan - Produce Plus