NZ Agri on show at The Cloud

Monday 17th October, 2011

NZ AGRI ON SHOW @ the CLOUD

Tuesday 18th October 12.30pm & 5.30pm

As the Rugby World Cup 2011 come to the business end of the Tournament and our International Visitors descend on Auckland for the final week – The New Zealand Agribusiness Showcase has invited some of the most renowned leaders from the Agricultural Sector to talk to invited guests and visitors. There will be two shows at the Cloud on Tuesday 18th October at 12.30 and 5.30pm. Both our shows are hosted by New Zealand’s TV personality Mark Leishman.

The first show at 12.30pm will offer insights into the development of our agricultural industry and will highlight New Zealand’s ground breaking innovations in technology, science and farming systems.

Leon Grice, Director, NZ 2011 Office emphasises the massive contribution that the agribusiness sector makes to New Zealand’s economy – both in driving farm efficiencies and earning valuable export revenue. “Exports from this sector are $1 billion per annum and growing rapidly. Coincidently our most significant markets are major Rugby- playing nations, so it makes smart business sense to put the best of agribusiness on show during the Tournament.”

Panellists will discuss the progress of the industry to its present situation, the major milestones and who has contributed and how, to the number one industry in New Zealand. Our Panel includes:

Frank Torley (Consulting Producer to TVNZ's Country Calender), Colin Harvey (Chairman of NZ Wool Board, Managing Director of Ancare Scientific, and Founder of Ancare New Zealand Limited), Professor Jacqueline Rowarth (Director Massey Agriculture, Professor Pasture Agriculture, Foundation Chair in Pastoral Agriculture of Massey University), Dr Mark Harris (Marketing Manager Animal Management at Gallaghers).

The 5.30pm Show offers a look into the future - given the current tumultuous economic climate, increasing challenges of balancing environmental issues with the demand and desire for increased production and efficiencies. We have a huge opportunity to provide not only exceptional product to the world market but to further develop our relationships with growing markets such as China, India and South America. The consistent battle to reduce our carbon foot-print as exporters – we have an opportunity to export not only product but our expertise, technology and innovative farm management systems to our Industry partners off shore.

Our panellists including Greg Muir (Managing Director of Tru-Test Limited), Mike Peterson (Chairman of Beef & Lamb NZ Ltd), Dr Andrew West (Professional Director of Tidal Associates, Chairman of Herd Homes, and strategist at SealesWinslow, also a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand). Barbara Kuriger (Taranaki Farmer, Director of Dairy NZ & AG ITO) will share their own thoughts and debate the big issues ahead for the industry.

Live on show for the VERY first time will be a unique machine that by day delivers world first technology into the meat processing industry but for one day – will act as a dynamic, state of the art free moving live camera – getting up close and personal with our panellists.

Rita, is brought to you by Milmeq; Robots Rita and sister Alice were developed by Milmeq in conjunction with Ovine Automation. Milmeq specialise in custom design, engineering and manufacture of systems for primary food processing, materials handling and chilling and freezing for processors within the red meat, poultry, dairy, seafood and horticulture sectors. Rita and Alice were developed in partnership with the Ovine Automation Ltd (OAL), OAL is a research consortia funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI), MRINZ Inc. (jointly owned by Beef +Lamb and the Meat industry Association) and nine industry partners. The Robots were developed to perform automated brisket cutting and evisceration within the sheep-processing environment to improve productivity, efficiencies and quality as a direct response to industry needs and the benefits of the technology have the potential to extend beyond sheep processing

The shows have been produced in partnership with Country 99TV and will on air October 26 & 27 at 9.30pm.

ENDS

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