Thumbs up for ag conference

01-06-2009 | Joanna Grigg

The 2009 ASB Agribusiness Conference certainly worked the top half.

There was plenty to think about at the conference which was held recently in Blenheim. As well as providing a wealth of information on how to run your business better, delegates were able to network with peers and hear success stories of farm acquisition and business creation.

The 300 attendees were predominately farmers, with the balance made up of service industry people.

The number of dairy farmer attendees was static on last year, according to Malcolm Taylor, conference committee member. But sheep and beef farmer numbers were up. There was a good muster of local Marlborough farmers, mainly in the 30-35 age bracket. Many delegates attend the conference every year.

As one delegate put it, "I'm here for the brain food."

For those wanting an insight into global businesses, Don Braid outlined how Mainfreight operated around the world. It is no surprise that Braid was Deloitte New Zealand Business Executive of 2008. His presentation included outstanding ideas for better business efficiency, including operating in Australia and profit watching.

Jenny Shipley impressed many with her tremendous wealth of knowledge on the working of the economy and prospects for the future. Comments from delegates were they could have heard even more than the one-and-a-half hour presentation she gave. She gave her picks for the markets to trade with, given changing demographics and wealth.

Roger Kerr, Business Round Table, gave frank views on what the Government needed to do to get out of ‘the NZ-made' recession.

Delegates got an insight into the phenomenal success of the wine industry with a presentation by Stuart Smith, Chairman of NZ Winegrowers. A few cages were rattled as Stuart gave comparisons with the wool and meat industry and some suggestions for branding.

The view that grape-growers spent most of the time drinking wine amongst the vines was dispelled with a field day visit to Guy and Jane Lissaman's property. The intensive cropping and viticulture operation sets a local standard for successful diversification, risk management and how to manage colossal growth and change within a business.

Robert Borst, a dairy farmer based near Oamaru, shared his story from leaving school early through to owning five farms in Australia and five in NZ plus leasing two more.

Peri Drysdale, Untouched World retail chain, told a similar tale of business growth. Untouched World's place in fashion has been cemented by opportunistic publicity from links with ‘celebrities' like Bill Clinton and Felicity Huffman.

Delegates were left challenged in many ways. Dennis Avery, senior fellow of the Centre for Global Food Issues, laid out facts and his arguments as to why climate change is nature-induced, not man-made. It was music to ears of many but some questions were also raised as to the slant given his links to the Hudson Institute. Farmers were challenged by Avery to rise up against carbon tax and "the global warming trap".

The best motivational presentation was from two young Australians, James Castrission and Justin Jones. The once overweight teenagers developed a passion for the outdoors, culminating in their 3318km kayak trip across the Tasman.

Delegate Brent Page, Golden Bay, was very impressed with Robert Borst's achievements in acquiring farms and his advice on managing staff.

"I could relate almost all the speakers back to my business."

Kathryn Marshall, Southland, enjoyed the field trip to the Lissamans and found the viticulture focus of interest and relevant.

"They don't have a huge amount of land but they make it squeak."

Gary Hopcroft, Southland, tries to attend the conference each year.

"Last year I didn't and I had a crappy year-what does that tell you?"

The wrap-up dinner and dance was a credit to the organisers. Despite the focus of the conference being making money, delegates put their hands in their pockets to raise $4000 for one of the speakers, Dr Tan. The Singapore-based sportsman and doctor has leukaemia and had delayed high-dose treatment to talk at the conference. Dr Tan completed 10 marathons in seven continents in 28 days, despite being paralysed from the waist down. His marathon presentation, and the formal part of the conference, was bought to a close by a timely fire alarm.

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