24th Annual Conference – The Grass is Greener
4th – 6th August 2009
Manning Entertainment Centre, Taree
Programe summary below.
Click here to download Conference Flyer.
Day 1 Tuesday 4th August
Registration (4.00 pm to 4.45 pm) at MEC and Annual General Meeting (5.00 pm) at Taree Leagues Club, followed by dinner.
Day 2 Wednesday 5th August
Registration (8.00 to 8.45 am) at MEC
Welcome (9.00 am)
Session 1 (9.30 am) : Greener Grass – on the coast
Terry Launders, Senior Research Agronomist, NSW DPI
Allan Edwards, Ellis & Butler Pty Ltd, Stock & Station Agent
James Laurie, beef producer, Gloucester
Chris and Sally Maslen, dairy farmers, Gloucester
Session 2 (11.30 am) : Greener Grass – at what cost?
Dr Jim Gibbs, Lincoln University, New Zealand
Peter Notman, dairy farmer, Gippsland/Walcha
Tammy Farrell, Core Health, Rural Health Worker
Local Tours (1.30 pm)
- Tour A – Silage Contracting
(Visit two local properties and look at different forms of silage storage, feed out and use. Hear direct from silage contractors)
- Tour B – Terry’s Mystery Tour
Look at pasture improvement options available for beef production. Visit top class country along the river at Glenthorne, then see native pastures via Purfleet, Burrell Creek and Wingham.
- Tour C – Flood Plain Tour
Cruise down the Manning River while inspecting and listening to riverbank restoration, acid sulphate soil issues and visit a 500 cow dairy operating on the lower flood plains.
- Tour D – Managing pastures to meet market specifications
Meet Wingham Beef Exports at Wingham Showground for advice on local and export trade specifications, with a range of market cattle and pastures to inspect.
Conference Dinner (6.30 pm)
Dinner at the Winning Post Function Centre, Taree. Dinner guest speaker Heath Francis, gold medal winning Para-Olympian with a story to tell about farm safety. Also the announcement and presentation of the Hay and Silage Feed Quality Awards.
Day 3 Thursday 6th August
Session 3 (8.30 am) : Greener Grass – from the soil up
Dr Bill Slattery, DECC, Senior Research Scientist
Dr Roger Hegarty, NSW DPI, Principal Research Scientist
Ross Elphick, beef producer, Wingham
David Williams, dairy farmer, Vacy
Session 4 (11.30 am) : Greener Grass – climate change implications
Dr David Hennessy
Prof. Bob Martin, University of New England
Col Cowan, dairy farmer, Hannam Vale
Carol Rose, NSW DPI, Kempsey
End of Conference and Lunch – 1:30pm
Hope to see you all there. For more information, please contact NSW DPI at Taree – Ray Johnston or Tracey (02) 6552 7299, or Michelle Blakeney on (02) 6552 1886.
