Hosted by Farmers for Climate Action, more than 120 farmers converged on Stanthorpe to hear from world leading experts at Queensland’s inaugural Managing Climate Risk in Agriculture conference. Farmers and leading agricultural experts heard directly from world leading experts on strategies to effectively manage climate risk and deliver climate solutions in Australian agriculture.
The conference covered all aspects of horticulture, mixed farming and viticulture. Additionally a comprehensive overview of big picture climate challenges were addressed. The conference will showcase some of Australia’s leading business, legal, insurance and scientific experts alongside local farmers.
Guest speakers include the University of Melbourne’s Professor Snow Barlow, Professor Mark Howden from ANU’s Climate Change Institute and Sarah Barker Special Counsel, Minter Ellison, Elizabeth Rose, Director of Climate Change & Sustainability, Ernst & Young alongside award-winning farmers Robert Quirk and Gavin Scurr, and solar farm developer, Peter Mailler. Growcom, Queensland Farmers Federation and the Queensland Government will also share their climate adaptation programmes with local primary producers.
Local grazier and former National Farmers Federation president Brent Finlay said, “Many of the 85,000 farmers across Australia are doing it tough dealing with extreme droughts, heatwaves and bushfires. On the Granite Belt and Southern Downs we are seeing higher temperatures, fewer frost days and changing rainfall patterns. Coupled with more intense and frequent hot days and harsher fire weather, our livelihoods are facing increasing risks.”
Local farmer and Farmers for Climate Action member Rick Humphries said, “It’s time our communities took the initiative and got our collective heads around the science, the risks and what we can do to protect our livelihoods and communities.”
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