TBC, 2025
Cairns Convention Centre
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2021 PROGRAM

PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

Wednesday, 12th May
09:30 am - 04:00 pm

Site tour: Howe Farming – Mt Uncle Distillery – FNQ Incubator

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Start the  tour with Howe Farming’s state-of-art, multi-purpose packing and processing facility, and receive a unique insight into a dynamic family business with almost 70 years in the game.

Next you will have a behind-the-scenes experience of an award-winning distillery, famous for crafting premium liquors and spirits from locally grown produce.

And the perfect way to finish the Site Tour – a glimpse into the future of food!

The FNQ Food Incubator caters for ambitious new food businesses, helping to reduce the anxiety and financial stress of getting a start in the industry.

02:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Registrations

2:00pm - 4:00pm: Cairns Convention Centre

4:30pm - 6:30pm: Pullman Cairns International

05:00 pm - 07:00 pm

Welcome reception

Proudly sponsored by

07:00 pm onwards

Banana Bar

Proudly sponsored by

Thursday, 13th May

07:15 am - 08:00 am

LaManna Premier Group Sponsored Breakfast

Bluewater 1 and 2 - Pullman Cairns International

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LaManna Premier Group (LPG) is one of Australia’s largest fresh produce supply chain companies, providing domestic and overseas customers a single source of supply across a diverse range of fruit and vegetable categories.

LPG business operations are enhanced by climate-controlled distribution services, packing and advanced ripening facilities, and a Central Market Trading presence in every Australian State.

LPG’s banana category is underpinned by owned farms and growers in North Queensland and the Northern Territory. Furthermore, LPG’s dedicated packing facility, Australian Banana Company (ABC), in Innisfail QLD, supports growers in the region by providing access to LPG Quality and Technical teams, distribution methods, marketing, and more.

07:30 am - 06:30 pm

Registration
08:30 am - 08:45 am

Official Opening Ceremony

Paul Inderbitzin, Congress Chair and ABGC Director

08:45 am - 10:00 am

Opening keynote address
Matt Church, Founder of Thought Leaders

10:00 am - 10:45 am

Consumer insights, marketing trends and brand strategy

Adam Ferrier, Founder/ Chief Thinker of Thinkerbell

10:45 am -11:15 am

Morning Tea

11:15 am - 11:45 am

Banana Marketing - Victory Lane

Tate Connolly, Hort Innovation Marketing Manger for Australian Bananas

11:45 am - 12:15 pm

Global trends: After the pandemic – which changes to the food market are forever?

Tim Hunt, Rabobank, General Manager of the RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness division across Australia and New Zealand.

12:15 pm - 12:30 pm

12:30 pm - 02:30 pm

Banana Women’s Luncheon

Kingsford Lounge - Pullman Cairns International

with special guest Mary O’Brien, Founder of Are you bogged mate?

12:30 pm - 01:30 pm

Lunch in the exhibition area

01:30 pm - 02:00 pm

Overcoming disease challenges/biosecurity lessons - Pythium what a Pest

Shane Templeton, President of Australian Ginger Industry Association and Director of Buderim Ginger

02:00 pm - 03:00 pm

Science Speed Talks

Chaired by Dr Rosie Godwin, ABGC R&D Manager

03:00 pm - 03:45 pm

Afternoon Tea and Science Poster session

03:45 pm - 05:15 pm

Future of Bananas and R&D

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Session chaired by Stewart Lindsay, DAF Team Leader, Banana Production Systems

    • Exotic banana diseases on our door-step
      Prof. Dr Andre’ - Drenth, Centre for Horticultural Science,
      University of Queensland

 

    • Mining for gold – Beneath the surface of Goldfinger and beyond
      Jeff Daniells, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

 

    • Banana microbiomes and Fusarium wilt: A programmed approach
      Tony Pattison, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

 

    • Product & Brand Innovation in Fresh Produce Michael
      Simonetta, CEO Perfection Fresh

 

05:15 pm - 05:30 pm

Panel discussion

05:30 pm - 07:30 pm

Tradeshow Exhibition Evening

with special Guest Billy Slater, Banana Ambassador

Proudly sponsored by

Friday, 14th May

07:00 am - 07:45 am

Soils First NQ Sponsored Breakfast

Bluewater 1 and 2 - Pullman Cairns International

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Join Soils First NQ to discuss OmyaPro and Fascinate DRY Herbicide over breakfast.

OmyaPro® Soil is a wettable powder formulation with 38% calcium derived from extremely fine calcium carbonate. The product can be simply mixed in water resulting in a flowable suspension that can be applied directly on the field via drip or sprinkler systems for highly efficient calcium nutrition of crops. The fineness of the product guarantees an efficient uptake of calcium from the soil into the plant where it is essential to supporting the structure and stability of cell walls.

The presentation will discuss the following:

  • Importance of Calcium nutrition
  • OmyaPro® Soil - benefits
  • OmyaPro® Soil - field and demo trials
  • OmyaPro® Soil - directions for use

ITS EASY GOING DRY IN YOUR BANANA PLANTATION

Weed control in Banana planation’s will never be the same again with FascinateTM DRY Herbicide now being available from UPL, a global leader in glufosinate production. Clay Sutton UPL Australia’s Technical Manager will speak about Fascinate DRY Herbicide (500 g/kg glufosinate ammonium), a NEW high-load, non-selective knockdown herbicide that will provide broad spectrum weed control of grasses, broadleaf weeds and vines in your Banana plantation. Fascinate DRY Herbicide offers growers a number of benefits compared to standard glufosinate formulations; This new granular formulation is easy to use and the highest strength glufosinate in the market.

07:30 am - 08:15 am

Morning Coffee with Exhibitors

08:15 am - 08:55 am

Innovation and value adding after the farm gate

Trent De Paoli, Entrepreneur / FarmerInvestor / Innovator - De Paoli Orchards

Ag Tech and cross-industry innovation

Jack Milbank, Founder of Lexi Tech

08:55 am - 09:05 am

09:05 am - 09:35 am

Blueberry success story - A Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

Ridley Bell, Founder/ Owner of Mountain Blue Farms

09:35 am - 09:45 am

09:45 am - 10:15 am

Morning Tea
10:15 am - 10:45 am

Succession Planning -  Pass the Baton

Tony Catt, Director of Catapult Wealth

10:45 am - 11:15 am

Robotics and Automation

Andrew Bate, Managing Director & CEO of SwarmFarms Robotics

11:15 am - 11:45 am

Grower Innovation Panel – Learn from banana growers trialling / implementing innovative farming practices

11:45 am - 11:55 am
Grower Innovation – Discussion Panel

11:55 am - 12:15 pm

TR4 – Transition to Industry Management

Jim Pekin, CEO of Australian Banana Growers’ Council

12:15 pm - 01:40 pm

Lunch and Trade Show – Exhibition area

01:40 pm - 02:25 pm

Mental Health - Are You Bogged Mate?

Mary O’Brien, Founder of Are you bogged mate?

Proudly sponsored by

02:25 pm - 02:35 pm

02:35 pm - 03:20 pm

Shot 14 times - Perform above and beyond 'your' norm

Derrick McManus, Former Operative with the elite special task and rescue (STAR) group of the South Australian Police.

03:20 pm - 03:30 pm

Closing ceremony

07:00 pm - late

Banana Industry Ball and Awards of Honour

Special guest Matt Wright, Television presenter from Outback Wrangler

Proudly sponsored by