Conference Event Program
The AU + NZ Mushroom Growers Conference will be held on Tuesday 22nd to Thursday 24th October 2024, at the Grand Millenium Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand.
A pre-conference farm tour of Mercer Mushrooms is scheduled for Tuesday 22nd October.
The exhibition on Wednesday and Thursday is an essential part of the conference and provides a platform for our sponsors and exhibitors to speak face-to-face with decision makers and connect with other companies in the market.
With two exceptional networking functions, the AU + NZ Mushroom Growers Conference offers a great opportunity for delegates to re-connect, as it has been four years since our previous industry conference.
This year, the event offers an exciting ADD ON tour option, to travel to Christchurch to tour Meadow Mushrooms.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN !
AU + NZ Mushroom Growers Conference Program
Additional tour option
Tuesday 22 October – Mercer Mushrooms Farm Tour
| Bus leaves 9am sharp! Meet in Grand Millennial Hotel foyer, 8.45am |
Travel by bus from Hotel to Mercer Mushrooms |
| 10.00am – 11.30am | Tour of Mercer Mushrooms Compost Facility |
| 11.30am – 12.30pm | Tour of Mercer Mushrooms |
| 12.30pm – 2.00pm | BBQ Lunch (included) |
| 2.00pm – 3.00pm | Travel by bus back to Grand Millennium Hotel |
| 6.00pm – 10.00pm | Networking Function (Smart Casual) |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
Wednesday 23 October – Conference + Exhibition
TIME |
SPEAKER |
PRESENTATION |
| 8.50am – 9.05am | Dr. Geoff Martin. Conference Chair | Welcome and official opening |
| 9.05am – 9.25am | Benjamin Picton. Rabo Bank, Senior Strategist | Economic update for Australia and New Zealand |
| 9.25am – 10.05am | Arpad Musty. Bio-Fungi, CEO (Hungary) | Composting into the Future |
| 10.05am – 10.45am | Raymond Samp. Agri Culture Mushroom Consulting Services (USA) | Pinning for Optimum Harvest |
| 10.45am – 11.15am |
MORNING TEA |
|
| 11.15am – 11.55am | Dr. Michael Wolfin. Penn State University Department of Entomology, Assistant Research Professor (USA) | Development of novel IPM methods to control mushroom flies on mushroom farms |
| 11.55am – 12.35pm | Dr. Anica Amini. Sylvan Inc. European Research Manager, (France) | Sylvan Breeding Research Program |
| 12.35pm – 1.35pm |
LUNCH |
|
| 1.35pm – 2.05pm | Stéphane Doutriaux. MycoSense (Switzerland) | Can simple technology help boost picker performance? |
| 2.05pm – 2.35pm | Sean O’Connor. 4AG Robotics, CEO (Canada) | Robots Picking Mushrooms |
| 2.35pm – 2.55pm | Q&A – Panel: Speakers TBC | Mushroom Automation in to the future |
| 2.55pm – 3.25pm |
AFTERNOON TEA |
|
| 3.35pm – 4.05pm | Dr. Eoghan Corbett, Research Officer Teagasc. (Ireland) | Peat-reduced casing media; How differential hydrological behaviour in casing blends is expressed in terms of mushroom yield and quality. |
| 4.05pm – 4.45pm | Q&A – Panel: Speakers TBC | The Future of Casing Alternatives |
| 6.30pm – 10.30pm |
Sylvan Gala Dinner – Grand Millenium Ballroom |
(Cocktail / Semi Formal) |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
Thursday 24 October – Conference + Exhibition
TIME |
SPEAKER |
PRESENTATION |
| 8.30am – 8.40am | Andrew Francey. Hort Innovation, General Manager, Industry Service & Delivery | Hort Innovation Update |
| 8.40am – 8.50am | Dumisani Mlungha. Hort Innovation, Industry Service & Delivery Manager | Hort Innovation R&D Levy Fund Overview |
| 8.50am – 9.20am | Wendy Hubbard. Hort Innovation, Data Insights | Unlocking Growth: Understanding Mushroom Consumers and Category Perception |
| 9.20am – 9.55am | Monique Emmi. Hort Innovation, Marketing Manager | Australian Mushrooms Marketing Update |
| 9.55am – 10.15am | Q&A Panel: Hort Innovation Team | Ask Hort Innovation |
| 10.15am – 10.45am |
MORNING TEA |
|
| 10.45am – 11.05am | Uberto Calvo. Applied Horticultural Research, Agricultural Scientist | Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit Update |
| 11.05am – 11.35am | Dr. Michael Kertesz. University of Sydney, Associate Professor, Soil Microbiology | Using compost biomarkers to predict mushroom crop yield and quality |
| 11.35am – 12.05pm | Dr. Warwick Gill (University of Tasmania) & Judy Allan | Pest and Disease management for the Australian mushroom industry |
| 12.05pm – 12.35pm | Dr. Aimee McKinnon. Agriculture Victoria, Research Scientist | Investigating biorational agents to complement mushroom pest and disease management |
| 12.35pm – 1.05pm | Jeff Vickers. ThinkStep ANZ, Technical Director | Life Cycle Assessment of the Australian Mushroom Industry |
| 1.05pm – 2.05pm |
LUNCH |
|
| 2.05pm – 2.35pm | Leah Bramich. AMGA Chief Executive Officer | AMGA Update |
| 2.35pm – 3.15pm | Patrick McClelland & Lydia Bilton – Porter Novelli | Mushrooms and alleged murder: Defending industry reputation in the face of scandal |
| 3.15pm – 4pm | Dr. Carlene Starck – FOODiQ Global | Mushrooms in health and nutrition: recent research and opportunities |
| 4.00pm – 4.05pm | Dr. Geoff Martin – Conference Chairman – Closing remarks | |
| 4.05pm |
CONFERENCE CLOSES |
TRAVEL TO CHRISTCHURCH Delegates attending the additional tour of Meadow Mushrooms depart. Bus leaves for airport at 6pm sharp. |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
ADDITIONAL TOUR OPTION
Friday 25 October – Meadow Mushrooms Farm Tour
| 8.15am (Bus leaves 8am sharp) | Travel by bus from Hotel to Meadow Mushrooms |
| 8.30am – 10.00am | Tour of Meadow Mushrooms Compost Facility |
| 10.00am – 11.30am | Tour of Meadow Mushrooms |
| 11.30am – 1.30pm | Lunch (included) – Venue TBC |
| 1.30pm – 2.30pm | Travel by bus back to hotel. (Tour ends) |
* Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.