Building a brighter future for Queensland’s sugarcane industry will be top of the agenda when more than 100 growers and industry leaders gather in Mackay this week for the inaugural Sugar Cubed conference.
The two-day event features a host of expert speakers, many on the cutting-edge of innovations in the sugarcane industry and the Australian bioeconomy.
They include Jet Zero CEO Ed Mason, Qantas Head of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Graeme Potger, KPMG Origins CEO Laszlo Peter, Coca Cola’s Head of Sugar Procurement Pete Greenwell, and head of Evidn behavioural science Dr John Pickering.
The program will cover a variety of topics, from the development of a sugarcane-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry in Queensland and how we can create a more profitable future for growers to how do we improve market access for our sustainably produced Australian Sugar.
Practical here and now challenges around research and development, farm productivity, and harvest and mill reliability will also feature on the agenda.
And as if that weren’t enough, attendees will participate in field trips, including visiting local sugar mills, farm tours, and a trip to Mackay’s bulk sugar terminal and biorefinery.
CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens said the aim of Sugar Cubed was to give growers an annual industry event, where they could come together to learn and speak about the challenges and opportunities that matter to them.
“There are so many vital and evolving aspects of our industry,” Mr Menkens said. “From technological advancements to variety development, harvesting constraints, milling sector sustainability, opportunities in sugar supply chain traceability, marketing and trade access, the emerging bioeconomy, the list is endless and the opportunity to work together as an industry is now.
“But until now, we’ve never had a major forum where growers could come together to learn about and discuss these issues and explore the opportunities together.
“The Sugar Cubed Conference, which has been developed by CANEGROWERS, aims to address the big issues growers want to discuss and see how we can work collaboratively across the industry to bring about success for everyone.”
The conference will kick off with field trips on 8 May, followed by keynote speakers and panel discussions at the Mackay Rydges Suites on 9 May.
