A snapshot of key events held by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and industry partners in 2023.
Fruit Growers Tasmania Conference
Date: Wednesday 15 - Saturday 17 June, 2023
Registrations are now open for the Fruit Growers Tasmania’s 2023 Conference. The conference is a key event for the horticultural calendar in southern Australia, and is expected to bring together some 200 growers and other participants. This event is also a great opportunity to network with fellow growers, customers, suppliers and service providers, and to elevate supplier profile and support for the industry through sponsorship of the event.
Visit the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) in the foyer at our trade table and hear from our researchers and students across the three day program:
Thursday 15th
Morning session 2 (11:00)
- Jonathan Finch – Rubus Integrated Pest management
- Kara Barry - Blueberry rust management: Defoliating blueberries and rust spore survival at different temperatures
Afternoon Session (14:00) concurrent sessions
- Jonathan Finch – Pollination using alternate pollinators
- Sally Bound: How different orchard floor management strategies affect soil health and apple quality
Friday 16th
Morning session 2 (11:00)
TIA student session (TBC)
Saturday 17th Field
Nigel Swarts - SINATA talk in the orchard
REGISTER
Webinar: Tasmanian Agriculture in a Changing Climate: Livestock
Date: Tuesday, 20 June 2023. 12:00pm til 1:00pm
Venue: Online
Each year TIA interacts with hundreds of people working in Tasmania's agriculture and food sectors through workshops, presentations, and field trips.
We know that not everyone is able to join us on-farm, so we are offering front-row seats in a virtual forum, connecting you with experts as we explore issues relating to the future of agriculture with a direct focus on Tasmania.
This Future Forum will explore Tasmanian agriculture in a changing climate with a focus on livestock industries.
Speakers
Matthew Harrison, Associate Professor, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Associate Professor Matthew Harrison and co-workers have and are developing sustainable pathways for balancing land-use priorities in food security with those in environmental stewardship. Part of this is their participatory work with farmers, industry, and government, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) while adapting to a changing climate in a profitable, inclusive, and socially-acceptable way. Matt's team often assesses multiple sustainability indicators associated with prospective interventions to ensure that changes realising benefit in one dimension (e.g. improved productivity) do not come at the detriment of changes in another dimension (e.g. increased greenhouse gas emissions). Matt has been with TIA for 11 years.
Sandra Knowles, Director, Tas Farm Innovation Hub
Sandra leads the Tas Farm Innovation Hub team to ensure key obligations under the hub's Federal Government Deeds are met, as well as managing the hub's stakeholders in particular the Industry Advisory Board and government relationships. As a long-term project manager with a legal background, Sandra has strong leadership experience and demonstrated ability to enable change and drive innovation through many roles within the University of Tasmania, including the Industry 4.0 Testlab Project and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Mission Integration Program. Sandra has extensive knowledge of Tasmanian agriculture and helps manage a mixed-farming family enterprise.
Julia Wait, Carbon Neutral 2030 Project Manager, Meat & Livestock Australia
Julia has a background in agricultural science, ag-tech, and startup investment. In her role as CN30 Project Manager with Meat & Livestock Australia, Julia identifies high-impact R&D opportunities to deliver progress towards net emissions reduction. Prior to joining MLA, Julia was Head of Operations at SproutX – a national accelerator and venture capital fund for food and ag-tech startups based in Melbourne.
More speakers are to be announced. For more information please visit the TIA website
To attend online, register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Feeding Tasmania: Our food future
Date: Thursday 3 August, 2023
Venue: Rivers Edge Building, University of Tasmania Inveresk Campus, 2 Invermay Rd, Launceston
Summary:
Taste and talk with food industry innovators at this event run in partnership with AgriCULTURED
Presenter(s):
- Professor Rob Shellie, Professor in Food and Nutrition, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania
- Dr Samantha Sawyer, lecturer and researcher in food science, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania
- Theresa Chapman, Soil Ecologist and PhD Candidate, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania
- Robert Ariver, Managing Director and Founder, West Pine Ag
With the world population estimated to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is an urgent need to address the growing demand in food production. But how do we feed a growing population while maintaining or improving Tasmania’s land and water quality for future generations? How do we create food systems that mitigate climate-related threats such as fire, flood and drought?
Join our experts to discover how leaders in the Tasmanian food industry are innovating to shape a future where we care for our land and waterways and build a resilient food system.
Complimentary refreshments
All are welcome to join us for a taste of Tasmanian wine and canapes from 5.30pm. Talks start at 6.00pm.
TIA speakers will touch on topics such as smoke tainted wine production, cover crops and soil biology, and innovations in food packaging techniques and shelf life
Attend online or in-person
Join this talk in-person, or online. Registrations are essential. To register for the in-person event, secure your spot through Eventbrite. To attend online, register via Zoom, and we'll email you details on how to join.
End of Year Honours Seminar
Attend in person or via Zoom to watch TIA's Honours students present their projects as part of their final assessment.
Industry connections gained throughout the degree are vital to the success of student’s projects and development of their professional network. The Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, taught by TIA, has a strong focus on building career skills by focusing on hands-on experience and direct industry engagement.
Students will present to TIA examiners and supervisors. The presentations will also be recorded for the Ag Institute Australia (AIA), who will be judging the presentations for the 2023 Student Award.
Honours
Luke Saunders: 'Assessing the Feasibility of Growing Oak Trees in Tasmania'
Jacinta Leys: 'Effect of environment on hard seededness and seed softening in serradella (Ornithopus spp. L.)'
Kara Devlin: 'Understanding the role of biological control methods in Tasmanian apple orchard's'
Emmaline Kelly: 'Phosphate solubilising bacteria characteristics in Tasmanian soils'
Tomas Thiessen-Delaney: 'Investigating the efficacy of mechanical pollination in onion seed crops'
Zoe Byrne: 'Application of Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to promote flowering in bolting resistant carrot seed crops'
Chas Hughes: 'Early Development of Industrial Paper Waste as a Potential Peat Moss Replacement in Containerised Seedling Production'
Please choose the correct ticket (zoom or in person) when registering your attendance. Registrants should look out for the host message at the end of the email notification they receive for details of their registration.
2023 ANZ Dairy Business of the Year Award field day
Date: Wednesday 6 December, 2023
Come along to the field day held at Woodrising Dairies, the winners of the 2023 Dairy Business of the Year Award.
During the field day, Troy Ainslie, manager of Woodrising Dairies, will share what he focuses on to achieve a highly profitable dairy business.
You will also hear more about the broader Compass Tas Dairy Operations from Managing Director (Australia), Nigel Pannett and Operations Manager, Ryan Ashby.
Morning tea and lunch provided.
World Soil Day
Date: Monday 11 December, 2023
Venue: Royal Tasmanian Botanic Garden - lower Domain Road
Associate Professor Richard Doyle and Doctor Bianca Das with Soil Science Tasmania are organising soil events to celebrate World Soil Day at the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens 5th December 2023 in the afternoon.
The annual lecture will focus on the E[ART]H projects and will be given by Richard Doyle and Martin Moroni.
The Earth Project is a collaborative project bringing Aboriginal culture, Tasmanian soil science and artists together to create an emergent program of experiences that reveal the deep history and complex material substance of one of Tasmania’s most significant sites, the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens.
The Earth Soil Lab at the RTBG will be opened.
Events:
Lunch: 2-3pm ($55)
Annual MTS lecture: Marton Moroni and Richard Doyle - E[ARTH] Project 3pm - 4pm
Official opening of the E[ARTH] Soil Lab from 4:30 pm: (drinks, nibbles, with soil molecule music by violin)
Limited availability
RSVP and queries via Richard Doyle
TIA Field Days
Forthside Research Farm Field Day
Date: Monday 11 December, 2023
Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Venue: TIA's Forthside Research Farm, Forth
This year's Forthside Research Facility Field Day is an event not to be missed! Join us for a day of presentations, discussions and field walks focussed on the theme of 'growing value for cool climate horticulture'.
It is a great opportunity to speak with researchers and PhD candidates about current research for Tasmanian growers, including:
- What's new in potato disease research?
- BioClay as a new approach to disease management
- Managing weeds (oxalis) in a rotational cropping system
- Overcoming heat stress in strawberries
- Growing herbs for Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Pyrethrum disease management
We're pleased to welcome Anthony Kachenko (General Manager for Production and Sustainability R&D at Hort Innovation) and Caitlin Radford (NW Coast farmer and 2020 Australian Apprentice of the Year) to our panel.
You will have an opportunity to ask questions during a 30-minute panel discussion about innovative and sustainable ways to grow value for cool climate horticulture here in Tasmania.
Looking for more? The industry trade tables will be back again and we are running afternoon farm walks highlighting key research areas on the farm.
The icing on the cake - this year is the 60th anniversary of the Forthside Farm so come along and celebrate with us. There will be cake, a coffee van, free lunch, networking opportunities, and of course opportunities to tour the Farm and speak with researchers and PhD candidates about current research underway to support Tasmanian farmers.
Register now to secure your seat! Registrations required by close of business on Monday 4 December.Please contact us should you have any questions.
Wine Tasmania Field Day
Date: Tuesday 31 January, 2023. 10:00am til 3:00pm
Venue: Milton Vineyard
An upcoming field day on Tasmania’s East Coast for the wine grape industry aims to build the drought resilience of producers by addressing water and irrigation management issues now and in the future.
The Viticulture Field Day, to be held at Milton Vineyard at Swansea on January 31, is being delivered by the Tasmania Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (TAS Farm Innovation Hub) in partnership with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, Wine Tasmania and Wine Australia.
The TAS Farm Innovation Hub is one of eight Hubs nationally funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Project Leader, Kathy Evans, said the field day was part of a project focusing on drought management for perennial horticulture plants in collaboration with Hubs in South Australia, Victoria and NSW.
“This project is investigating producers’ current approaches to irrigation and water conservation and management with the aim of making improvements to practices in the future to enhance production and build climate-resilient businesses,” Professor Evans said.“
The field day will give producers the opportunity to share experiences of prolonged dry conditions, how they are managing water and irrigation, use of innovative technologies to optimise water use and think about what things they can do now to improve their resilience during the next big dry.”
Tasmanian growers, industry and climate scientists will present on the day and will cover how water can be effectively managed in vineyards in current and future climates. Vineyard-specific case studies and demonstrations will be presented by AgTech companies/advisors, including Swan Systems (WA), Airborne Logic (SA), Onside Technologies (NZ) and Ag Logic (TAS).
Partner event: Berry growers field day
Join Fruit Growers Tasmania and Berries Tasmania for Berry Growers Field Day at Burlington Berries.
Join Fruit Growers Tasmania and Berries Tasmania for a Berry Growers Field Day at Burlington Berries.
- Presenters include Paul Horne - IPM Technologies
- Jake Byrne - Biological Services
- Michael Gangi - EE Muir
- Steve Quarrell, Jon Finch and Michele Buntain - TIA
- Dave Farmer - Croplands
- Brenden Green - Nufarm
We will meet at the Cressy Research Station for the morning sessions then move to Burlington Berries for lunch and the in field presentations and demonstrations.
Coffee and tea will be available from 9.00am, so grab a cuppa first.
The event will start at 9.30am sharp with an update from FGT followed by interactive presentations on topics including.
- Looking after your Beneficial's.
- What's growing in and around your crop.
- Thresholds/monitoring.
- A focus on certain pests.
- Sprayer setup.
- Chemical options.
We will then move to Burlington Berries for lunch followed by in field presentations and a demonstration of Burlington's new berry crop sprayer and finishing up at 3.30pm.
Lunch will be provided.
Enquiries.
- Mark Salter - Berry Industry Development Officer. Ph 0400 100 593.
- Michele Buntain - TIA. Ph 0429 957 975