ACC 2024: Breakout sessions cater to all delegates

Production, varieties, postharvest and technology; whether you grow, pack or market citrus you’re sure to find a topic of interest during the breakout sessions at the Australian Citrus Congress 2024 (ACC 2024).

Two breakout sessions will run concurrently for periods of each day to maximise the opportunity to deliver relevant content to delegates.

Postharvest and production are the overarching themes for the sessions on day one of the conference program (6 March). Both sessions will be split into two halves, either side of the afternoon tea break.

POSTHARVEST & PACKAGING

Sponsored by Steritech and moderated by John Golding of the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), the postharvest session will examine advancements that are helping produce high quality and safe food for domestic and international consumers.

“International speakers, local experts and all the latest industry updates, this session will deliver a comprehensive overview of what’s happening in postharvest and fruit quality management,” said Golding.

“Speakers will discuss current and new postharvest fungicides, developments in storage and maintaining quality through domestic and export supply chains.”

This session will be of most interest to packhouse managers. It is also relevant to marketers, business managers and retailers looking for answers to improving product outturns and increasing citrus shelf life.

“It is one thig for the grower to produce the best quality citrus in the orchard, it’s another thing to maintain that quality and deliver a good experience to the end consumer through best practice packing and shipping,” said Nathan Hancock, CEO of Citrus Australia.

“As much as we’re pushing growers to produce great fruit and reinforce Australia’s reputation as a high-quality producer, we have to see that commitment carry through to postharvest, packing and shipping too.

“Our cartons are in the market side-by-side with our competitors, so they have to match up in quality; from the carton to the outturns, to the size colour and taste of the fruit.”

PRODUCTION

The grower-focused production session will home in on the correlation between improved quality and increased profitability.

US-based Michelle Leslie of Elemental Enzymes will deliver a presentation on the use of biologicals for citrus crops.

As conventional agrichemicals become less available, industry must turn to alternative pest and disease controls. Michelle will take listeners on a journey through the development of biological pest controls, which will reveal the leaps forward this technology has taken.

Syngenta’s Technical Services Lead, Shaun Hood, will discuss common mistakes with chemical usage that effect on-farm efficiency, offering tips and tricks to avoid these errors. Application of these tips could save growers thousands of dollars in improved efficiency and reduced agrichemical use.

Citrus Australia is excited to announce that renowned soil health and tree nutrition expert Graeme Sait will also be speaking at the inaugural Australian Citrus Congress. Graeme is the CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions and host of the Nutrition Farming Podcast. He will share a wealth of knowledge on improving soil health with delegates.

Information on on-farm management and technology won’t end there, with topics like understanding Albedo breakdown risks, improving irrigation practices and canopy management/high density planting being covered in this session.

TECHNOLOGY

Day two’s (7 March) breakouts turn the audience’s attention to technology and variety development.

Matthew Strmiska, Consultancy Lead for E.E. Muir & Sons and Chair of Citrus Australia’s Future Production and Technology Committee, will moderate the technology session.

Strmiska will conduct a live interview with Matthew Pryor, co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia’s first dedicated agrifood innovation venture capital firm. The interview will cover the intertwined relationship between technology and innovation, along with how and why technology is being adopted by the citrus industry.

Meanwhile, TOMRA’s Clinton Jeffries will highlight how artificial intelligence is driving advancements in citrus grading.

VARIETIES

David Monks of NSW DPI will moderate a session on citrus varieties, sponsored by Victorian Citrus Farms.

Along with presenting insights from his own work leading the Evaluation of New Citrus Varieties project, Monks will be joined on stage by global experts in varietal development.

This includes Malcolm Smith of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, who will discuss the development and direction of new varieties in Australia and internationally, drawing on his experience delivering the levy-funded Australian Cirtus Breeding Program.

Other presentations in this session will focus on the correct selection, marketing and management of new citrus varieties.

Citrus Australia’s Claire Fitchett, who is coordinating the ACC 2024 speaker program, said the breakout sessions were designed to provide delegates with practical take-home messages that will drive innovation and profitability within their businesses.

“We’ve purposefully focused these sessions on areas of the business that align with our delegates’ day-to-day operations” Fitchett said.

“No matter which part of the supply chain you represent, there’s plenty of opportunities to come away from the event having learnt something new or made a connection that will change the way your business operates.”

CLICK HERE to visit the Australian Citrus Congress website.

CLICK HERE to register for the Australian Citrus Congress 2024.

*The Program subject to change