Sheep Updates, the premier event for the State’s sheep meat and wool industries, will provide participants with the latest research and extension tools and address current production and industry issues.
Department of Agriculture and Food Acting Sheep Leader Mandy Curnow said the event would provide up-to-date information targeted at sheep producers and breeders, agricultural advisors and consultants.
“Conference sessions will cover the opportunities provided by genetic research, tools to make the most of genetic information, breeder and producer case studies, and the future of genetic research,” Ms Curnow said.
“This year’s Sheep Updates will focus on the technologies available to ram suppliers and buyers for breeding better sheep.
“Rapidly-evolving markets and recent investments in genetics research and development such as the Sheep Genetic Resource Flock at Katanning will open up new pathways to profitability.
“These genetic improvements provide great opportunities for the Western Australian sheep industry.”
The Sheep Updates will include speakers from regional Western Australia, interstate and overseas.
“Keynote speaker James Kynge will discuss the influence of China on our products, with a focus on how can we secure a future in this market,” Ms Curnow said.
“Mr Kynge is the Principal of FT China Confidential which provides predictive analyses of China’s key economic trends and delivers customised research for investment funds and corporates on the consumer, financial and real estate sectors. He is also the emerging markets editor for the Financial Times.
“He is an award-winning journalist and author and his career as a journalist with Reuters and subsequently the Financial Times has included 23 years in Asia, 16 of them in China.
“We are excited to have Mr Kynge share his knowledge because China was ranked Western Australia’s biggest market for agriculture and food products in 2012/13, valued at more than A$1 billion, led by wool.
“In 2012/13, sheep meat exports from WA to China increased by 26 per cent to $30 million and we expect the value of sheep meat exports to continue to rise with increases in supply and infrastructure.”
More information about the Sheep Updates is available on the Department of Agriculture and Food website agric.wa.gov.au/sheepupdates
The early bird rate for registrations closes on 1 July. To register, contact Anne Jones on +61 (0)8 9892 8529 or email [email protected].
Source: DAFWA
