AU + NZ Mushroom Growers Conference Program
Additional tour option
Tuesday 22 October – Mercer Mushrooms Farm Tour
| Bus leaves 9am sharp! Meet in Grand Millennium Hotel foyer, 8.45am |
Travel by bus from Hotel to Mercer Mushrooms |
| 10.00am – 11.30am | Tour of Mercer Mushrooms Compost Facility |
| 11.30am – 12.30pm | Tour of Mercer Mushrooms |
| 12.30pm – 2.00pm | BBQ Lunch (included) |
| 2.00pm – 3.00pm | Travel by bus back to Grand Millennium Hotel |
| 6.00pm – 9.00pm – Rooftop at QT (20min walk, 5min taxi) | Networking Function (Smart Casual) |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
Wednesday 23 October – Conference + Exhibition
TIME |
SPEAKER |
PRESENTATION |
| 8.50am – 9.05am | Dr. Geoff Martin. Conference Chair | Welcome and official opening |
| 9.05am – 9.25am | Benjamin Picton. Rabo Bank, Senior Strategist | Economic update for Australia and New Zealand |
| 9.25am – 10.05am | Arpad Musty. Bio-Fungi, CEO (Hungary) | Composting into the Future |
| 10.05am – 10.45am | Raymond Samp. Agri Culture Mushroom Consulting Services (USA) | Pinning for Optimum Harvest |
| 10.45am – 11.15am |
MORNING TEA |
|
| 11.15am – 11.55am | Dr. Michael Wolfin. Penn State University Department of Entomology, Assistant Research Professor (USA) | Development of novel IPM methods to control mushroom flies on mushroom farms |
| 11.55am – 12.35pm | Dr. Anica Amini. Sylvan Inc. European Research Manager, (France) | Sylvan Breeding Research Program |
| 12.35pm – 1.35pm |
LUNCH |
|
| 1.35pm – 2.05pm | Stéphane Doutriaux. MycoSense (Switzerland) | Can simple technology help boost picker performance? |
| 2.05pm – 2.35pm | Sean O’Connor. 4AG Robotics, CEO (Canada) | Robots Picking Mushrooms |
| 2.35pm – 2.55pm | Q&A – Panel: Stephane Doutraiux, Sean O’Connor, Roland van Dormaele, Ruud Keunen | Mushroom Automation in to the future |
| 2.55pm – 3.25pm |
AFTERNOON TEA |
|
| 3.35pm – 4.05pm | Dr. Eoghan Corbett, Research Officer Teagasc. (Ireland) | Peat-reduced casing media; How differential hydrological behaviour in casing blends is expressed in terms of mushroom yield and quality. |
| 4.05pm – 4.45pm | Q&A – Panel: Eoghan Corbett, Arpad Musty, Raymond Samp, Hans Nendels, Roland Vermunt, Jackie Gray | The Future of Casing Alternatives |
| 6.30pm – 10.30pm |
Sylvan Gala Dinner – Grand Millenium Ballroom |
(Cocktail / Semi Formal) |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
Thursday 24 October – Conference + Exhibition
TIME |
SPEAKER |
PRESENTATION |
| 8.30am – 8.40am | Andrew Francey. Hort Innovation, General Manager, Industry Service & Delivery | Hort Innovation Update |
| 8.40am – 8.50am | Dumisani Mhlanga. Hort Innovation, Industry Service & Delivery Manager | Hort Innovation R&D Levy Fund Overview |
| 8.50am – 9.20am | Wendy Hubbard. Hort Innovation, Data Insights | Unlocking Growth: Understanding Mushroom Consumers and Category Perception |
| 9.20am – 9.55am | Monique Emmi. Hort Innovation, Marketing Manager | Australian Mushrooms Marketing Update |
| 9.55am – 10.15am | Q&A Panel: Hort Innovation Team | Ask Hort Innovation |
| 10.15am – 10.45am |
MORNING TEA |
|
| 10.45am – 11.05am | Umberto Calvo. Applied Horticultural Research, Agricultural Scientist | Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit Update |
| 11.05am – 11.35am | Dr. Michael Kertesz. University of Sydney, Associate Professor, Soil Microbiology | Using compost biomarkers to predict mushroom crop yield and quality |
| 11.35am – 12.05pm | Dr. Warwick Gill (University of Tasmania) & Judy Allan | Pest and Disease management for the Australian mushroom industry |
| 12.05pm – 12.35pm | Dr. Aimee McKinnon. Agriculture Victoria, Research Scientist | Investigating biorational agents to complement mushroom pest and disease management |
| 12.35pm – 1.05pm | Jeff Vickers. ThinkStep ANZ, Technical Director | Life Cycle Assessment of the Australian Mushroom Industry |
| 1.05pm – 2.05pm |
LUNCH |
|
| 2.05pm – 2.35pm | Leah Bramich. AMGA Chief Executive Officer | AMGA Update |
| 2.35pm – 3.15pm | Patrick McClelland & Lydia Bilton – Porter Novelli | Mushrooms and alleged murder: Defending industry reputation in the face of scandal |
| 3.15pm – 4pm | Dr. Carlene Starck – FOODiQ Global | Mushrooms in health and nutrition: recent research and opportunities |
| 4.00pm – 4.05pm | Dr. Geoff Martin – Conference Chairman – Closing remarks | |
| 4.05pm |
CONFERENCE CLOSES |
TRAVEL TO CHRISTCHURCH Delegates attending the additional tour of Meadow Mushrooms depart. Bus leaves for airport at 5pm sharp. |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
ADDITIONAL TOUR OPTION
Friday 25 October – Meadow Mushrooms Farm Tour
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE – NOW SOLD OUT
| 7.15am (Bus leaves 7.30am sharp) | Travel by bus from Rydges Latimer Hotel to Meadow Mushrooms (30mins) |
| 8.00am – 8.30am | Welcome Morning Tea at Meadow Mushrooms, H&S and Food Safety Induction. |
| 8.30am – 11.00am | GROUP 1 – Guided Tour of Meadow Mushrooms (2.5hrs) |
| 8.30am – 9.00am | GROUP 2 – Travel to Meadow Mushrooms Compost Facility (30mins) |
| 9.00am – 10.30am | GROUP 2 – Tour Compost Facility (1.5hrs) |
| 10.30am – 11.00am | GROUP 2 – Transport back to Meadow Mushrooms Farm (30mins) |
| LUNCH – Both groups enjoy light lunch at Meadow Mushrooms Farm. (45mins) | |
| 11.45am – 12.15pm | GROUP 1 – Travel to Meadow Mushrooms Compost Facility (30mins) |
| 12.15pm – 1.45pm | GROUP 1 – Tour Compost Facility (1.5hrs) |
| 1.45pm – 2.30am | GROUP 1 – Transport back to Rydges Latimer Hotel (45mins) |
| 11.45am – 2.15pm | GROUP 2 – Guided Tour of Meadow Mushrooms (2.5hrs) |
| 2.15pm – 2.45pm | Travel by bus back to Rydges Latimer Hotel (Tour ends) |
PLEASE NOTE: The tour ends upon the return to the hotel. No further accommodation or travel is coordinated after this time. Please ensure you have accommodation booked separately, or a flight home scheduled.
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.