Hon Terry Redman MLA
Minister for Agriculture and Food

Since entering Parliament in 2005, Hon Terry Redman MLA has built a solid reputation as a staunch defender of regional interests. He is continuing his commitment to regional WA through his ministerial portfolios of Agriculture and Food, Forestry and Corrective Services. Increasing marketing opportunities for WA produce and promoting a positive image of the WA agriculture, food and forestry sectors are just some of issues that Terry is particularly passionate about.

Professor David Hughes

David Hughes is emeritus professor of food marketing at Imperial College London. He travels the world talking to businesses, trade associations, governments and conferences on global developments in the food and drink industry.  David has extensive experience as an international advisory board member with food companies and organisations in three continents. Currently he is a non-executive director of Berry Gardens Ltd, a UK farmer-owned berry fruit business with a blue chip customer portfolio. He is on the advisory board of Rabobank, UK. He works closely with senior management of food and beverage firms on business strategy development and with governments on food policy formulation.

Explosive growth in nearby consumer markets will bring exceptional opportunities for WA agriculture in the years ahead.

Hon Dr Hendy Cowan

Dr Hendy Cowan spent his early days on the family farm at Mount Walker, east of Narembeen. After attending Mount Walker Primary School and Hale School, he returned to the farm in 1959 and with other family members set about the task of expanding the farming enterprise. In 1974 he contested and won the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Merredin-Yilgarn, beginning an eventful career in politics.  He was elected leader of the National Party in 1978, a position he held for 23 years. He served as Deputy Premier and Minister for Commerce and Trade, Regional Development and Small Business from 1993 to 2001.  After more than 27 years in the Western Australian Parliament, he retired in October 2001. Although he leases his farming properties to his brothers, Hendy spends much of his time assisting them in their farming operations. When not farming, he is actively involved in a number of Western Australian organisations.

Agriculture - the farmer wants a life.

Dr David Bowran

Dr David Bowran is director for practice and systems innovation with the Grains Directorate at the Department of Agriculture and Food. David worked in research as a weed scientist on joining the department in 1985 until 2000, when he became program manager for pulses and oilseeds. He subsequently became program manager for grains until 2005, and was manager of agricultural systems research until 2009. David worked on the development of GM lupins during the 1990s with a role in evaluating the development of glufosinate tolerant narrow leaf lupins, and in 2009 was the Department’s spokesperson on the technical issues related to the commercialisation of Roundup Ready canola in WA.

What is the value proposition for GM technology in WA?

Julian Cribb

Julian Cribb is an author, journalist, editor and science communicator and principal of Julian Cribb and Associates, a business which provides specialist consultancy in the communication of science, agriculture, food, mining, energy and the environment. His career includes appointments as newspaper editor, scientific editor for The Australian newspaper, director of national awareness for CSIRO, member of numerous scientific boards and advisory panels, and president of national professional bodies for agricultural journalism and science communication. His published work includes over 8000 articles, 3000 media releases and eight books. He has received 32 awards for journalism. His latest book, The Coming Famine, explores the question of whether we can feed humanity through the mid-century peak in numbers and food demand.

The coming famine: risks and solutions for global food security.
Accompanying notes.

Dr Michael Robertson

Dr Michael Robertson is a principal research scientist with CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences in Perth, where he leads a group of researchers focussing on sustainable land use in the wheatbelt throughout Australia. He obtained his education at Lincoln University in New Zealand and the University of Queensland. Michael’s science background is in the physiology of crops. He has a keen interest in crop agronomy, simulation modelling and exploring the sustainability of farming systems.  Lately, his interests have extended to precision agriculture, crop-livestock integration in mixed farming systems and adapting to climate change. He has published over 100 scientific articles on various aspects of agriculture.

The future of agriculture: a view into the crystal ball.

Cr Wade De Campo

Wade De Campo is the president of the Shire of Manjimup and on the board of the South West Development Commission. He has held numerous positions over the years, including with the Warren-Blackwood Economic Alliance, Pemberton Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Manjimup and Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival.

Robyn Moore

Robyn Moore is a multi-skilled communicator who has been changing people’s perception through the power of the word for over 30 years. She has sold millions of dollars worth of products for thousands of Australian companies, entertained millions of Australians in the country’s longest running radio comedy, and enchanted children in an animation series that has been seen in 70 countries. She was the national communicator of the year, is an ambassador for the Australia Day Council and the Australian Childhood Foundation and is the national patron of Make-A-Wish Australia. She claims to have been in every home in Australia although no-one here will have a clue who she is...until she speaks.

Reconnecting with love, life and laughter in tough times.

Jon Doust

Jon Doust was born in Bridgetown into a farming/retailing family and has worked in banking, the media, and comedy.  His first adult novel - Boy on a Wire - was published in 2009 by Fremantle Press and was long-listed for the 2010 Miles Franklin Award. For 16 years he ran one of the longest running courses ever at UWA Extension – How to laugh your way out of a paper bag. It was designed for people who thought they had lost their sense of humour.  For six years he has been guest lecturing at the Curtin Business School Centre for Entrepreneurship where he leads business people through an interactive day of self discovery using psychological models. These days Jon is best known as a writer, professional speaker, sometime comedian, and community projects facilitator.

Sophie Zalokar

Sophie Zalokar was born and raised in the Barossa Valley and trained as a chef with internationally-recognised cook, author, export food manufacturer and television cookery show presenter Maggie Beer. She has a diverse background in the food and hospitality industries, has travelled and cooked around the world, been a judge for the Vogue Entertaining + Travel Magazine’s Produce Awards, and an Australian delegate at the international Slow Food Terra Madre in Italy in 2008. She has contributed to Maggie’s Table and Verjuice by Maggie Beer, and published her first book PicNic – Outdoor Feasts in the Australian Landscape in 2002. She now leads Slow Food Southern Forests. Sophie’s work is underpinned by her commitment to nurturing honest, flavoursome food created with a deep respect for the land, those who work the land, food heritage and culinary traditions.

Slow food gathering speed - the value of culinary heritage in the Southern Forests.

Don Punch

Don Punch is the chief executive officer of the South West Development Commission. He has extensive experience working throughout regional areas of the State for the Western Australian public service. He has undertaken a variety of roles including working in regional and remote communities on the provision of infrastructure, identification and funding of community needs, and project management.