MORE than 300 growers and industry members gathered at the Gold Coast this week for the biennial Australian Summer Grains Conference, with topics on tackling sustainability and future-proofing the sector taking centre stage.

With the theme Transforming Challenges into Sustainable Farm Profitability, sessions at this year’s event focused on using technology and innovation to increase on-farm efficiencies and profitability as well as improving sustainability and soil health.

The three-day program kicked off on Tuesday with the Young Leaders Forum, designed for newcomers to the sector, and to promote the benefits of a career in agriculture.

This was followed by opening addresses from conference chair and Mort & Co senior manager agronomy and innovation Maree Crawford and Elders managing director and chief executive officer Mark Allison.

Ms Crawford said the summer grains sector faced increased pressure to move to more sustainable farming systems, with growers and agronomists pivoting to new ways to produce crops.

Maree Crawford.

“Despite technological advancements that have enhanced productivity and reduced labour, the industry faces increasing complexity,” Ms Crawford said.

“Elevated expectations for quality, sustainability, and social responsibility necessitate a shift from traditional chemistry-based soil and plant management to biological and integrated approaches.”

She said investing in workforce wellbeing and research, development and extension was key to the future success of the industry.

“Maintaining soil health and supporting workforce wellbeing remain critical priorities.

“Continuous investment in soil and human capital is essential for resilience.

“Focus areas include enhancing profitability while minimising environmental impact, preserving soil and water quality, promoting biological diversity, and fostering sustainability through collaboration, education, and knowledge sharing.”

Biologicals were a key interest of the conference opening day, as evidenced by the launch at the conference of Corteva’s Utrisha N, Mort & Co’s In-X, and Omnia’s Bacstim.

The event also saw Warra grower Wade Bidstrup receive the 2025 Service to the Industry award from the Australian Mungbean Association.

Mr Bidstrup and his father have been long-term supporters of mungbean research and have hosted numerous variety trials, including the most recent releases, Kookaburra and Brolga.

Climate, sustainability imperative

In identifying key trends for Australian agriculture, Mr Allison said the changing climate would continue to have a major impact on the grains industry and drive investments in the future.

Elders managing director and CEO Mark Allison.

He said this would also flow on to influence demands of consumers for more sustainable products.

“Australian agriculture has always been at the mercy of the elements, although extreme weather has seemed to become more frequent and severe,” Mr Allison said.

“This means shifts in viable production zones, pressure on biodiversity and ecosystem services.”

He said this required major reform and significant shifts economy-wide, but in a considered way.

“We need systemic reform through policy, infrastructure and innovation to ensure our food systems can withstand the shocks of the changing climate.

“We also need a calm and consistent approach to policy and not alarmist overreach.”

Balance productivity, sustainability

Mr Allison said the upcoming challenge for the grains and wider agricultural industry was to balance these calls for sustainability with the need to remain productive and profitable.

He said in some aspects, these issues would align with integration of “traceability, certification and digital-provenance systems” not only to tell a story of an industry’s sustainable practices, but also a way to remain competitive in a global market.

However, he said these would create additional costs and there was current evidence showing consumers wiliness to “articulate a values-based need was significantly higher than their willingness to pay a premium for this feature”.

“The trick is in finding the balance and not sacrificing productivity for sustainability, and not jumping at shadows for perceived consumer needs and wants.”

The Australian Summer Grains Conference continues today and Wednesday before closing with a gala dinner.

Warra grain grower Wade Bidstrup accepts the Australian Mungbean Association’s 2025 Service to the Industry award from president James Hunt.

Pam and Elton Petersen from Moonie with Stuart Tighe from Pallamallawa.

ICAN senior consultant Mark Congreve and AMPS Moree agronomist Tony Lockrey.

Elders team members Chelsea Gordon, Gavin Lotz and Georgia Rogers.

Daniel, Laura, Victoria and Stuart McIntyre from West Prairie Trading Co.

Nutrien Ag Solutions representatives Tom McCormack, Dalby, Codee Leiblich, Toowoomba, and Matthew McCauley, Murgon.

Coggan Farms’ Sarah and Emily Coggan in conversation with Maree Crawford.

Australian Mungbean Association’s Paul McIntosh with Ardina Jackson from Sumitomo Chemicals.

Pioneer Seeds’ James McLean and Nathan Surawski from Elders.

Bevan Austin and Mark Palmer from Kotzur.