APAL Industry Forum & Awards for Excellence 2024

Registrations are now open for the 2024 APAL Industry Forum and the 2024 APAL Awards for Excellence.

The APAL Industry Forum will take place at Zinc in Melbourne on Monday, 3 June 2024, and will be a great opportunity to connect with fellow growers, share insights and reshape the future of our industry, together.

After another challenging year, the 2023 Forum will deliver presentations on macroeconomic trends, the state of the industry, and share retail insights as well as updates on key APAL initiatives in Advocacy and Quality.

Preceding the Forum, the APAL Awards for Excellence will be announced at the Forum Welcome Drinks on the evening of Sunday, 2 June 2024.

The APAL Awards for Excellence recognises the outstanding contributions of those who've helped to shape and influence our industry across all areas, from researching and growing through to marketing and exporting.

With a change to the award categories, Industry Rising Star will be replacing the Young Grower of the Year award. We look forward to coming together to celebrate the achievements of individuals and businesses across the industry over networking drinks.

We look forward to seeing you there. Register today!

Sunday, 2 June 2024

APAL Awards for Excellence & Welcome drinks: 5.30pm – 9.00pm | Morris House - 120 Exhibition St. Melbourne 3000

Monday, 3 June 2024

APAL Industry Forum: 8.30am – 3.30pm | Zinc at Federation Square – Cnr Princes Walk & Russell St Ext, Melbourne CBD

Note: If you would like to attend the APAL Industry Awards & Welcome Drinks, please ensure that you have selected the option to attend both days when purchasing your tickets.

The 2023 Forum speaker line-up will feature Chris Leptos AO, Independent Reviewer from the Food and Grocery Code, who will discuss how the Food and Grocery Code is working for the suppliers of the major supermarkets.

Also headlining the 2023 APAL Industry Forum is Jaclyn Hope, a Partner in PwC’s Mergers and Acquisitions team with a specific focus on the Food and Agribusiness sector. Jaclyn played a key role in the establishment and majority divestment of Pomona Valley to Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and will share a presentation around steps taken to ‘get investor ready’.

Helen McKenzie, the Code Arbiter for Woolworths, will be presenting on her role in dealing with complaints from suppliers regarding Woolworths' compliance with the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

The latest addition to the Forum speaker line-up is Mick Keogh, Deputy Chair of the ACCC. Mick is responsible for the Agriculture sector at the ACCC and has a long and diverse history of involvement with this sector, including advocacy and advisory roles to policymakers and governments.

Demographer and trendspotter Bernard Salt AM will return in 2023 to provide his take on the shifts in megatrends over the past year, plus author and leadership expert Nigel Collin will present the Game of Inches – a keynote centered around an achievable process of sustainable growth based on research from hundreds of entrepreneurs, business leaders and organisations.

Vítor Caçula Pistóia, an analyst in the farm inputs industry working at Rabobank, will present “Farm Inputs Outlook: Setting a New Market Equilibrium,” focusing on recent industry developments and possible scenarios for fertilisers and agrochemicals.

Also joining the line-up, record-breaking Australian explorer, James Castrission, is set to deliver a powerful keynote on lessons learned of persistence, triumph and endurance from his polar expedition across the Antarctic and kayaking across the ditch from Australia to New Zealand.

Accommodation:

Refund policy:

A full refund can be requested up to 1 day before the event.

Contact details:

If you require further assistance or to take advantage of our concierge booking please email [email protected] or phone (03) 9329 3511.

Connect

Meet and catch up in-person with growers, packhouse managers, exporters, marketers, agronomists and researchers!

Engage

Our line-up of speakers will challenge your thinking on how we can operate, deliver quality produce and continue to drive the industry forward.

Network

Numerous opportunities to network and celebrate our industry members with an opportunity for an informal catch-up at our Awards & Welcome Drinks on Sunday night, followed by the Forum on Monday.

Stay up to date

Plenty of news you can use: Our agenda will equip you with the technical, commercial and leadership skills necessary to respond to emerging industry trends.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

ZINC at Federation Square, Cnr Princes Walk & Russell St Ext, Melbourne, Australia