The New Zealand Dairy Business Conference – formerly Large Herds Conference – will hear from top industry and business leaders. Fonterra's new chief executive Theo Spierings is one of the speakers.
Hosted by the New Zealand Large Herds Association and Altum, the 43rd annual event runs from March 27-29. Its theme is 'Turbo charge your knowledge'.
Organising committee chairman Phil Butler says being designed by farmers, for farmers, makes the event stand out. "We address the topics that come up outside of the formal discussion groups, on the opportunities for progression and improvement, rather than the mechanics of cows and grass.
"As the country's biggest export earner, the dairy industry is vital to the New Zealand economy. As participants in the industry, we need to ensure we are up with research, technology and global trends, to help drive continued progress and improvement," says Butler.
The conference theme will inform farmers on key business and industry leaders' views of research, technology and brand opportunities.
Organising committee member Owen Greig says the opportunity to network with dairy farming business colleagues and agribusiness professionals is another draw card. He farms with his family south west of Palmerston North, milking 2000 cows on a self-contained unit of 1500ha. He is also a Fonterra shareholders councillor.
The conference begins with an overview of the dairy industry by Adrian Foster, Rabobank AsiaPacific, and business commentator Rod Oram.
Field trips include visits to Massey University, AgResearch and Fonterra research centres and Landcorp farms in the Motua basin.
Final day speakers include 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Tim Alpe, DairyNZ's newly elected board member Ben Allomes and Spierings.
Greig says farmers will get maximum value from attending the whole conference. But they may register for single days if that's all time allows.
