12 October 1999 Doing it Better in the Food and Fibre Chain – national congress hopes to lift NZ's performance

New Zealand's food and fibre chain – from production to consumption – can it do better and earn more for New Zealand?

"In today's environment of deregulation, information technology and biotechnology the potential for improvement has got to be there," says Mick Calder, coordinator of the second national Agribusiness and Food Congress to be held in Christchurch over 8-9 November, during A & P Show Week.

Building on last year's highly successful inaugural congress, this year's gathering will explore four major themes – the marketing environment and the opportunities provided by deregulation; information technology (IT) in agribusiness; biotechnology and where to from here with genetic modification; and the corporate structure versus cooperatives.

"Underpinning all the discussion will be the question – can we do it better and earn more for New Zealand," says Mr Calder.

"Indeed, the subtitle for the congress is ‘Adding Value to the Food and Fibre Chain’, which sums up our thrust."

To drive the discussion the congress organisers have invited a galaxy of authoritative national and international speakers including Dr Nick Kalaitzandonakes, Associate Professor of Agribusiness at the University of Missouri. Keenly interested in the economics and strategy of business innovation, Dr Kalaitzandonakes has recently published work on the structural changes in agriculture and agribusiness resulting from the introduction of biotechnology.

"Biotechnology is a major topic for our food and fibre sector," says Mr Calder, "and there has been considerable heat over the issue.

"Dr Kalaitzandonakes comes to our congress fresh from 'closed door' European Union discussions on the topic, and it's an issue highly relevant to New Zealand today."

From across the Tasman, Neville Spry, a director of Australian investment house Gresham Partners, is another keynote speaker and he has a track record of providing corporate advisory services to Australian agribusinesses including the Australian Dairy Corporation, Australian Wheat Board and Westfarmers.

Dr Jim Peacock from Australia's CSIRO, Gary Punch from Cotton Australia and Neville Fielke of Heinz Wattie's will also present papers.

New Zealand speakers include former Dairy Board chair John Storey, Peter Talley of Talley's Fisheries, Rick Bettle ex-Alliance CEO and now TAB president, Tony Carter of Foodstuffs, and Roger Kerr of the Business Roundtable.

Over 250 delegates attended last year's inaugural Agribusiness Congress in Christchurch and of that number more than 40 percent were business leaders. It is anticipated that the 1999 congress will be New Zealand's largest agribusiness function of the year.

Principal sponsors are AGMARDT, Wrightson, and Lincoln University and contacts for registration details are Jan Latham or Helen Shrewsbury, Professional Development Group, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, telephone (03) 3252811 ext. 8955, fax (03) 3253840, email shrewsbh@lincoln.ac.nz

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand