FutureAg expo kicks off

Hundreds of people have descended upon the Melbourne Royal Showground in Victoria today as the inaugural FutureAg Expo powered by AGRITECHNICA officially commenced this morning.

The three-day event deep dives into the latest in cutting-edge technology, productivity and sustainability research and practices across the nation’s agriculture industry.

The expo was officially opened today by The Hon Ros Spence MP, Victorian Minister for Agriculture, with day one including a free-to-attend trade show showcasing more than 100 exhibitors, plus live machinery and technology demonstrations.

Leading agricultural machinery manufacturers - Case IH and New Holland, also sponsors of the FutureAg Expo, unveiled their new machinery line-up at the show which include the New Holland T7.300 long wheelbase tractor and Case IH's AFS Connect Puma 260 tractor.

The FutureAg Expert Stage also offers event attendees free access to a range of industry experts and agricultural innovators.

“There has been considerable anticipation in the lead-up to the event, and we are excited to welcome everyone to the Melbourne Royal Showground today,” said Hannover Fairs Commercial Director, Mike Nissen.

“Our team and partners have worked tirelessly to create an event that will provide those on-farm the opportunity to acquire valuable skills and knowledge, to optimise their farming operations, improve decision-making, and address key topics of interest for producers.

“The event is an opportunity for connection and collaboration across the industry and we can’t wait to see visitors experience all the event has to offer.”

There were a number of speakers that were featured on the free Expert Stage on day one, including Associate Professor Chao Chen, leading Agricultural Robotics Researcher from Monash University; Jon Medway from Charles Sturt University who presented on the Future of Precision Ag and Automation, as well as Tim Neale, President of the Australian Agritech Association.

“The free-to-attend exhibition is the perfect opportunity to explore how new technology and advancements can improve productivity and efficiency right across the whole value chain. On top of this, attendees can receive expert advice, which has practical application now and into the future,” Nissen said.

Alongside the exhibition is a two-day paid conference which also kicked off today, and will explore seven key pillars: sustainable agriculture, energy, innovative machinery, supply chains, biosecurity, agritech and smart farms, and the human connection.

The conference, MCed by Australian Television and Radio Presenter and Host of The Business of Sport on Sky News Australia, Tim Gilbert, includes several key industry speakers including Dr Rose Roche, Principal Research Scientist and Lead for the Ag2050 Program; Farmo founder Nick Seymour; Simon Nordestgaard from the Australian Wine Research Institute and Olympia Yarger, founder of agritech start-up Goterra and 2023 ACT Australian of the Year.

There will also be several discussion panels on key topics such as Educating the Public for Policy and Preservation and how contentious news stories impact the industry; Securing, Managing and Increasing Ag Talent; The Future of Farming and Unlocking Climate Smart Farming for Profit.

“The free Expert Stage and paid conference program delves into specific agricultural domains and topical challenges faced by Australia’s agricultural industry at present, offering producers practical advice and guidance in a rapidly evolving industry,” Nissen said.

FutureAg Expo 2024 powered by AGRITECHNICA is hosted by Hannover Fairs Australia, in partnership with the DLG (German Agricultural Society), a non-profit society that runs agricultural exhibitions for knowledge-sharing, including Agritechnica, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery.

A first-of-its-kind trade event, the FutureAg Expo is showcasing industry-specific machinery and process solutions from agriculture, covering horticulture, livestock and aquaculture. It offers visitors the opportunity to improve productivity and efficiency as well as connect with industry peers.

The event will run until 4pm on Friday April 19.

To register for the final two days of the event, or for more information on FutureAg Expo 2024, including exhibitor and event programs, visit FutureAg expo’s website.