Graziers from across Queensland will share their successes at a forum in Charters Towers on Friday 16 October 2015. Forum host NQ Dry Tropics has secured Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Managing Director, Richard Norton, as a keynote speaker for the event.

The event is funded under the Australian Government’s Reef Programme, that is reducing the impacts of agriculture on the Great Barrier Reef.

Forum Chair, Christine Rolfe, (Vice President, AgForce) said that the grazing industry in the North revolves around people who have a sense of pride in producing healthy pastures, running quality livestock, and raising successful families.

“The challenge for graziers is achieving these aims under the prevailing climatic, financial and environmental constraints facing the industry”, she said.

“This forum will showcase how some very successful grazing businesses are meeting these challenges”she said.

Graziers from as far afield as the Darling Downs, Central and Western Queensland will share their experiences in a range of commercial situations in very different environments.

Grazier Natalie Williams, who is also a Nuffield Scholarship winner, will talk about her grazing land management journey undertaken on the family’s 7,600ha property “Granville”, in Central Queensland. Thanks to a property development plan and change of management over the last 10 years,  the land and pasture is healthier, and able to carry more stock, for longer.

“In effect, we have turned some fairly average forest country into a high-quality resource”, she said.

NQ Dry Tropics’ CEO Dr Scott Crawford is heartened by the stories that the graziers are able to tell in the current difficult conditions.

“Our grazing field officers are increasingly working with dynamic and innovative producers who are looking for new ways to run their livestock businesses”, he said.

“They have new attitudes and are motivated to change. From our organisation’s perspective, they also are very conscious of the impact that their practices have on the Great Barrier Reef and they are working towards better pasture management which is good for the Reef and good for cattle performance”. Dr Crawford said.

The free forum is an all day event and will be held at the Charters Towers Golf Club from 9.00am to 6.00pm. Townsville’s Key Motors Subaru and Mazda is sponsoring a barbeque at the end of the forum which will be a great opportunity to catch up with the day’s speakers. Registrations are essential for catering so contact organiser Brendan Smith on  0417 408 587 or email Brendan at brendan.smith@nqdrytropics.com.au to secure your spot.

Download event flyer (pdf).