The biennial Northern Australia Food Futures Conference is Australia’s leading conference on agricultural development in the North.
The conference puts Northern Australian agriculture on the national agenda and is an important driver of expansion in the region. Organised by the NT Farmers Association and Darwin-based Associated Advertising, it draws government, industry and community stakeholders as well as investors from far and wide keen to explore agricultural opportunities in the North.
This year’s conference theme is Development and the Environment. Sessions are tailored accordingly, looking to inform policymakers and investors about sustainability trends in the sector, and the role agriculture can play in protecting Northern Australia’s significant environmental resources.
A diverse range of presentations and workshops will be held with the goal of enhancing the development approvals process and, more specifically, of:
- improving two-way dialogue between industry and environmental groups;
- furthering industry’s understanding of environmental issues and impacts across the region;
- identifying environmental and regulatory trends that will affect the industry; and
- informing industry and government on potential improvements/changes to the approvals process.
Expect keynote speeches from industry experts on current environmental legislative framework; environmental impacts of farming; the future of agriculture in the region; and the rise of environmentally sustainable agriculture.
The fourth Food Futures Conference is backed by the governments of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation), Cotton Australia and the private sector.
The program
The conference will feature more than 50 speakers including successful farmers from the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland; federal, state and territory Ministers; traditional owners; scientists; and environmental activists. Of around 250 participants, more than half are from the private sector.
Along with the conference component, 2021’s program includes industry-specific workshops, farm visits and an industry exhibition hall.
The program incorporates Indigenous and environmental components and covers all agricultural sectors. There’s a focus on new and emerging sectors set to drive further development in Australia’s north.
View the full conference program for 2021.
Event details
The conference takes place from 17-20 May 2021 in Darwin, Northern Territory. It opens with a Welcome reception from 5:30-7pm on Monday 17 May 2021.
On Tuesday 18 May 2021, there will be an introduction and various speaker sessions between 8:30am and 1:30pm, with field trips from 1:30-5pm and a networking event, Industry Night, from, 5-9pm at Barramundi Adventures.
Wednesday 19 May 2021 begins with the NT Young Farmers Group Breakfast (7-8.20am), followed by a morning of elective workshops (8:30-11:30am). The remainder of the day is scheduled for back-to-back speaker sessions (11:45am-5pm). There’s a Gala Dinner and Awards that evening from 7:30-11:30pm.
On Thursday 20 May 2021, concurrent conference sessions are scheduled for 8:30-11:30am.
More information and registration
Further information can be obtained from the Northern Australia Food Futures website.
To register, click here.
Check out previous Food Futures conferences
Details of previous conferences – Food Futures 2018, 2016 and 2014 – using the links at the bottom of the page or via the NT Farmers website.