There are very few places in the world that have a temperate climate supported by high quality soils, plentiful water, skilled farmers and ongoing technological developments required to produce high quality arable products, such as grain, seeds and vegetable products. We already grow the best vegetable and herbage seeds in the world – but what does the future look like for arable land use?
There are many considerations for the arable farming industry including climate change, sustainability challenges with an increasing population, and changing consumer demand for plant-based proteins. The arable industry is well positioned to help bridge the urban / rural divide and provide sustainable farming systems. It has an extremely promising long-term future.
We’ll hear from Alison Stewart, FAR CEO, about their perspective on the future of land use – what farmers see as the priorities, what is driving FAR’s research programmes and what challenges are unique to NZ.
Wednesday 14th August
4.00pm - 5.30pm
Blinc Workshop
We'll provide drinks and snacks to get you through your 4 o'clock munchies and get your networking juices flowing.
Timings
4.00pm - Networking and Drinks
4.15pm - Presentation from Alison Stewart
4:45pm - Q&A Session
5.00pm - Networking
5.30pm - Event finishes
About the Speaker
Dr Alison Stewart, CEO FAR
Hailing from Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow in Scotland, Dr Stewart has specialist knowledge in the area of plant protection, a wealth of experience in managing research groups and programmes in New Zealand universities and Crown Research Institutes.
She was the founding director of the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University from 2003 until 2011. During that time she gained an AgResearch Technology Transfer Award (2002), MAFBNZ Biosecurity Award for Excellence (2008) and was awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of services to biology (2009). She is a Fellow of the NZ Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Science and a Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society.
In her commercial work in NZ and the US, she developed and commercialised several biologically based pest and disease management technologies for the agriculture, horticulture and nursery sectors, and sat on the boards of Plant & Food Research in New Zealand and The Waite Research Institute at the University of Adelaide.
Click here to see more events