HFW partner Stephen Thompson addresses the opening session of AGIC24.

THE 25th annual Australian Grains Industry Conference is under way, with delegates from Australia and beyond gathered for the two-day event at Melbourne’s Crown Promenade.

Hosted by Grain Trade Australia and the Australian Oilseeds Federation, this year’s AGIC has the theme Every grain has a silver lining, an apt one for its 25th anniversary.

In his address which kicked off the event, GTA chair Andrew Goyder said AGIC24 had drawn a record number of more than 640 delegates, and representatives of 17 countries either online or attending in person.

GTA provides the trading standards for Australian grain, and Mr Goyder said its work, and that of the industry it serves, go towards making Australia one of the world’s most significant grain producers and exporters.

“Good reputations take years to build but can take moments to destroy; it’s important to us all,” Mr Goyder said.

Leading on from GTA’s Modernising the grain supply chain strategy, Mr Goyder said the time had come for industry to part ways with the 2014  Wheat Port Code of Conduct as administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

“This has recently been reviewed by DAFF, and we understand it is soon to be presented to the Minister.”

Mr Goyder said the industry has increased in capacity and efficiency since the days of single-desk export rights, and competition is alive and well.

“The grain industry has never been in better shape.

“There is no evidence of market failure.”

He said industry was now in a position to provide the transparency through avenues such as public shipping stems, and did not need to be constrained by “ghosts of the past”  by continuing with legislation that was not “fit for purpose”.

“Industry has changed and evolved.”

“A stronger industry adds value to each and every business, and I include growers in this also.”

While the patchy season in Victoria and South Australia are cause for some concern, the mood of AGIC24 is decidedly upbeat, with the removal this year of India’s tariff on chickpeas, and China’s on barley last year, two contributors to the silver lining.

Mr Goyder said the upcoming US election, unrest in the Middle East and ongoing conflict in Ukraine all highlighted the importance of “efficient trade across the globe” essential to food security, and could lead to an increase in protectionism.

AGIC24 has also attracted a line-up of new and returning exhibitors, and a first for the event in having on-the-spot health checks provided by Victor Chang Heart Health practitioners following a suggestion from StoneX’s Stefan Meyer and sponsor LDC’s Simone Dax.

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