Horticulture Conference
We are back in 2023 with the annual Horticulture Conference. This year’s theme is Sharing Successes to Strengthen Our Future. Speaker sessions will provide inspiration and the opportunity for robust discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing the horticulture industry. The conference will also showcase and celebrate success, while being realistic and acknowledging the impact of adverse weather on some parts of our industry. By coming together to share perspectives, we can connect with and energise each other, which is imperative in the current challenging and uncertain environment.
The Horticulture Conference 2023: Sharing Successes to Strengthen Our Future will focus on the excellent work growers are already doing to address challenges, in a world that has changed and will continue to change. The conference will be a unique opportunity to hear from politicians on both sides of the house, mental health experts, economists, and growers themselves as they offer insights and perspectives on the future of the industry.
This year’s gala dinner will combine with the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme conference, leaning further into the ‘sharing’ theme. The gala dinner will be held on Wednesday evening.
Hort Conference Programme | Tuesday
*speakers and timings subject to change
| Tuesday (Dobson 4) | |
|---|---|
| 10.15am – 12.30pm | Asparagus Council AGM and speakers |
Hort Conference Programme | Wednesday
*speakers and timings subject to change
| Dobson 1&2 | Dobson 3 | Dobson 4 | Bealey 4&5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.45am Vegetable product groups welcome tea/coffee | |||
| 9.15am Vegetables speakers | |||
| 10.15am Vegetables New Zealand AGM | |||
| 11.15am Vegetables speakers (outdoor crops) | 11.15pm – 12.45pm Vegetables speakers (covered crops) | ||
| 12.45pm - 1.45pm Lunch | 12.45pm - 1.45pm Lunch | 12.45pm - 1.45pm Lunch | 12.45pm - 1.45pm Lunch |
| 1.45pm Vegetables speakers (outdoor and covered crops) | 1.45pm – 5.00pm Speaker sessions run by Strawberry Growers NZ Strawberry Growers AGM | 3.30pm – 5.00pm Process Vegetables speakers | 1.45pm – 5.00pm Project updates run by A Lighter Touch |
| 5.00pm Tomatoes NZ AGM | 5.00pm – 6.00pm Process Vegetables AGM |
||
| CLICK HERE for full programme | |||
| 5.45pm - 6.45pm Pre Dinner- Drinks in Exhibition Hall |
|||
| 6.45pm - Late Horticulture and RSE Conference Awards Dinner *tickets must be purchased to this event |
|||
Hort Conference Programme | Thursday
*speakers and timings subject to change
| Thursday (Plenary/Auditorium) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.00am | Mihi Whakatau |
||
| 8.10am | Welcome – MC Alasdair MacLeod | ||
| 8.25am | Hon Damien O’Connor – MP Minister of Agriculture | ||
| 8.4oam | Message from Platinum sponsor Glenn Bewley - Countdown |
||
| 8.45am | Setting the scene: Bridging the gap between the current state and the future state Lain Jager – Te Puna Whakaaronui |
||
| 9.15am | Growing beyond leafy greens in vertical farming Professor Paul Gauthier – University of Queensland |
||
| 9.45am | Practical experience with vertical farming Tom Schuyt – Greengrower Grant Leach – 26 Seasons |
||
| 10.15am | Morning tea | ||
| 10.45am | Christopher Luxon - Leader of the Opposition | ||
| 11.00am | Nutrition and health claims: navigating the challenges of adding value Carolyn Lister - Plant & Food Research Paul Blatchford - Zespri |
||
| 11.30am | The machinery of government: demystifying Wellington Kris Faafoi - Agenda Partners |
||
| 12.00pm | Panel: Advanced breeding and NZ Inc. Professor Richard Newcombe – Plant & Food Research Jarred Mair – Te Puna Whakaaronui Ariana Estoras - AgResearch |
||
| 12.45pm – 2.00pm | Lunch | Dobson 1&2 1.00pm – 2.00pm | HortNZ AGM Pick up packed lunch outside room to take in to AGM |
| 2.00pm | Opportunities in the transition to a low emissions economy Brad Olsen - Infometrics |
||
| 2.30pm | Forecasting future weather patterns Georgina Griffiths - Metservice |
||
| 3.00pm | A Lighter Touch programme overview Sarah Sorenson – A Lighter Touch |
||
| 3.15pm | Afternoon tea | ||
| 3.45pm | Our Ahuwhenua story Wayne Hall – Wi Pere Trust Grace Rehu - T&G |
||
| 4.15pm | The power of talking Elle Perriam – Will to Live Hamish Rush - Aporo Orchards Ltd |
||
| 4.45pm | Rural wellbeing guest speaker Matt Chisholm |
||
| 5.30pm | Happy hour | ||
Hort Conference Programme | Friday
*speakers and timings subject to change
| Friday (Plenary/Auditorium) | |
|---|---|
| 8.30am | Welcome |
| 8.45am | Imagining horticulture’s future Rob Hewett |
| 9.15am | Growing vegetables: adapting to our new reality Richard Burke - Leaderbrand |
| 9.45am | Panel: Politicians take on horticulture's future Moderated by Brigitte Morten - Franks Ogilvie Sam Uffindell - National Party Anna Lorck – Labour party Andrew Hoggard- ACT Party Hon Eugenie Sage - MP Green Party |
| 10.30am | Morning tea |
| 11.00am | A time for big calls – keeping NZ horticulture sector ahead in the global food game Todd Charteris - Rabobank |
| 11.30am | Using field intelligence when it matters most Tony Finch - DairyNZ |
| 12.00pm | Powering up New Zealand Hon Ruth Richardson |
| 12.30pm | Close & Lunch in Exhibition Hall |