ABOUT 250 people attended the first ever Efficient Farming Forum in Mareeba last Friday, with organisers hailing the inaugural event a success.
Innovation, preparing for change and watching weather trends were among the topics discussed on the day.
The event, which was officially opened by Minister for Resources and Northern Australian Senator Matt Canavan, was a joint initiative of the Mareeba District Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (MDFVGA) and Northern Gulf Resource Management Group.
MDFVGA President Joe Moro said there were a number of key messages for farmers, around issues including weather, change management and agricultural technology.
“The guest speaker from Oz Cyclone Chasers stressed the importance of farmers being aware of weather patterns and how they can influence our activities on the farm,” Mr Moro said.
“Trend forecaster Michael McQueen, encouraged farmers to prepare for change, however difficult and uncertain it may be, and be one step ahead of the game. This certainly got the room thinking.
“Andrew Bate from SwarmFarm Robotics showed how their innovation is turning agricultural technology on its head, moving away from bigger, faster machines to compact, simple machines.”
Mr Moro said guests were impressed with the high calibre of not only the guest speakers but also the break-out sessions.
He said the organising committee was already discussing when to host the next event, which would likely be in two years time to maximise value for farmers and agricultural industry stakeholders and not clash with other events like the highly successful Rotary FNQ Field Days, which is held in Mareeba every second year.
Mr Moro said the organising committee would hold a debrief meeting in the coming weeks to discuss what worked and where improvements could be made.
