Posts

Riverine Plains Innovation Expo, 24 – 25 August

/in , /by

Putting farmers first – driving decisions using data

Riverine Plains will host its annual Innovation Expo at Mulwala from 24 – 25 August 2023.

The theme Putting farmers first – driving decisions using data will focus on the increasingly important role that data plays in farming businesses.

Riverine Plains’ CEO Catherine Marriott emphasises that embracing data-driven decisions is key to sustainable farming, as not only is profitability and productivity important, increasingly our markets are requiring environmental transparency to enable access.

“Farmers are already collecting a wide range of data and the Expo will help ensure farmers focus on using this data to maximise profitability and market access, as well as ensuring the required data is being captured” she said.

“We know production data can provide invaluable insights into our farming systems — from crop yields and soil mapping to individual livestock performance, these data gems can unveil what’s thriving, what needs tweaking, and how we can maximise profitability,” said Ms Marriott.

“However, overseas and domestic markets are also changing in response to consumer and government pressures, so our farm data might be just as critical in gaining access to commodity or carbon markets in the future, as well as banking and insurance services,” she added.

The Innovation Expo will get underway with the Riverine Plains Alvan Blanch Australia Innovation Conference on Thursday 24 August.

The Conference will bring high calibre speakers such as Alexandra Gartmann, Chair of the Victorian Agriculture and Climate Change Council and Nigel Hart, Managing Director GRDC to set the broader scene around data and the use of new technologies, data-sharing with end-users, artificial intelligence and privacy.

The Conference will also feature Alison Kelly and Dale Grey from Agriculture Victoria and there will be a farmer panel discussion on how farmers are collecting and using data to make more informed decisions. A supply chain panel discussion will provide further insights into how markets are driving data collection and use.

Alvan Blanch Australia’s Jane Godson is looking forward to the two-day event.

“We are thrilled to be a Platinum Partner of the Innovation Expo 2023 — it provides us with an exceptional platform to showcase our cutting-edge agricultural machinery and innovative solutions, while also reinforcing our commitment to driving progress and sustainability in agriculture in the Riverine Plains,” said Jane.

Renowned comedian Jean Kittson will provide the entertainment at the Riverine Plains New Edge Microbials Gala Fundraising Dinner. There will also be a charity auction to raise funds for the Riverine Plains Scholarship Program, live music and dancing.

The Riverine Plains Alvan Blanch Australia Farm Tour will be held on Friday 25 August and will take a practical look at how farmers are employing technologies such as drones, weed-detecting technology and grain dryers to make better and more sustainable farming decisions.

Ticketing and further information about the Innovation Expo is available from https://riverineplains.org.au/innovation-expo-2023/

Riverine Plains Innovation Expo, 24-25 August

/in /by

21 June, 2023

Word Count: 515

Putting farmers first – driving decisions using data

Riverine Plains will host its annual Innovation Expo at Mulwala from 24 – 25 August 2023.

The theme Putting farmers first – driving decisions using data will focus on the increasingly important role that data plays in farming businesses.

Riverine Plains’ CEO Catherine Marriott emphasises that embracing data-driven decisions is key to sustainable farming, as not only is profitability and productivity important, increasingly our markets are requiring environmental transparency to enable access.

“Farmers are already collecting a wide range of data and the Expo will help ensure farmers focus on using this data to maximise profitability and market access, as well as ensuring the required data is being captured” she said.

“We know production data can provide invaluable insights into our farming systems — from crop yields and soil mapping to individual livestock performance, these data gems can unveil what’s thriving, what needs tweaking, and how we can maximise profitability,” said Ms Marriott.

“However, overseas and domestic markets are also changing in response to consumer and government pressures, so our farm data might be just as critical in gaining access to commodity or carbon markets in the future, as well as banking and insurance services,” she added.

The Innovation Expo will get underway with the Riverine Plains Alvan Blanch Australia Innovation Conference on Thursday 24 August.

The Conference will bring high calibre speakers such as Alexandra Gartmann, Chair of the Victorian Agriculture and Climate Change Council and Nigel Hart, Managing Director GRDC to set the broader scene around data and the use of new technologies, data-sharing with end-users, artificial intelligence and privacy.

The Conference will also feature Alison Kelly and Dale Grey from Agriculture Victoria and there will be a farmer panel discussion on how farmers are collecting and using data to make more informed decisions. A supply chain panel discussion will provide further insights into how markets are driving data collection and use.

Alvan Blanch Australia’s Jane Godson is looking forward to the two-day event.

“We are thrilled to be a Platinum Partner of the Innovation Expo 2023 — it provides us with an exceptional platform to showcase our cutting-edge agricultural machinery and innovative solutions, while also reinforcing our commitment to driving progress and sustainability in agriculture in the Riverine Plains,” said Jane.

Renowned comedian Jean Kittson will provide the entertainment at the Riverine Plains New Edge Microbials Gala Fundraising Dinner. There will also be a charity auction to raise funds for the Riverine Plains Scholarship Program, live music and dancing.

The Riverine Plains Alvan Blanch Australia Farm Tour will be held on Friday 25 August and will take a practical look at how farmers are employing technologies such as drones, weed-detecting technology and grain dryers to make better and more sustainable farming decisions.

“We are so excited to be hosting the Expo again this year and invite members, farmers, advisors and researchers from across the region to join us as we discuss ways to make the most of our data in a rapidly changing global market,” concluded Ms Marriott.

Ticketing and further information about the Innovation Expo is available from https://riverineplains.org.au/innovation-expo-2023/

….ends………………

Riverine Plains Inc is an independent farming systems group specialising in farmer driven research and extension across north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.riverineplains.org.au

More Information or Interview:

Corporate Communications Manager, Katherine Seddon 0433 812 889 or katherine@riverineplains.org.au

Alvan Blanch Australia invests in new scholarships, Conference

/in /by

3 March, 2023

Word Count: 560

Alvan Blanch Australia invests in new scholarships, Riverine Plains Innovation Conference

Riverine Plains is excited to announce a new partnership with Alvan Blanch Australia. The partnership includes two new scholarships which aim to attract and encourage people into agriculture in the Riverine Plains region.

Riverine Plains CEO, Ms Catherine Marriott, said that the new scholarships were unique for Riverine Plains because they support people from a non-farming background to consider agriculture as a career.

“Agriculture offers a diverse, almost limitless, range of career opportunities and we need to attract the best and brightest students to the region to support local businesses, irrespective of background,” she said.

The scholarships are designed to encourage students with an interest in engineering or crop production, to bring their knowledge and skills to the Riverine Plains region post-study.

“We are thrilled that Alvan Blanch Australia, who are most well known in our region for their supply of grain drying equipment to farmers, are partnering with us to invest in the young people who will one day help farmers innovate and improve their businesses,” she added.

Two scholarships are being offered by Alvan Blanch Australia, which both include a $5000 bursary as well as work experience and mentoring opportunities. Engineering students majoring in agricultural or mechanical engineering, as well as agriculture students interested in crop production, are eligible to apply.

Alvan Blanch Australia Director, Jim Duncan, explained that the company was keen to encourage young people into the industry that they have worked in for so many years and gained so much satisfaction from.

”Young people are the future of farming and we need to ensure we keep talent in the community through nurturing, mentoring and training to ensure that knowledge is grown and experience gained,” said Mr Duncan.

Alvan Blanch Australia will also be a Platinum Partner for the Riverine Plains 2023 Innovation Conference, to be held on 26 July, 2023. The Conference theme is “Putting farmers first – driving decisions using data” and will have a focus on ag-tech and carbon.

“We are so pleased that Alvan Blanch Australia are partnering with us for the Innovation Conference as we talk about future sustainability and the challenges around data capture and management,” said Ms Marriott.

When asked why Alvan Blanch Australia signed on as a Platinum Partner of the event, Mr Duncan explained that both he and Jane Godson, grew up on farms in the United Kingdom before moving to Australia over 20 years ago.

“When we first moved here, we were impressed with how advanced farmers were across all areas of the business,” he said.

“We still feel the same today and want to support farming in the country that we now call home,” said Mr Duncan.

“Meeting people and talking about what they do is vital to our business – talking is the first step, while innovation and continuous improvement is key to the future of farming, so the Innovation Conference is a great fit for us,” he concluded.

Applications for the Alvan Blanch Australia Scholarships, along with the Hanrahan Family, Corteva Agriscience and Uncle Tobys Scholarships, are open from 22 March–22 June 2023. More information is  available from www.riverineplains.org.au/donations-and-scholarships/

More information about the Innovation Conference will also shortly be available from riverineplains.org.au .

Organisations interested in partnering with Riverine Plains to provide a scholarship opportunity are invited to contact Catherine Marriott on 03 5744 1713.

 

***ENDS***

Riverine Plains Inc is an independent farming systems group specialising in farmer driven research and extension across north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.riverineplains.org.au

More Information or Interview:

Claudia Powell, Riverine Plains Inc (0499 402 943) or email claudia@riverineplains.org.au