Agriculture Victoria recently hosted an international event to discuss intensive animal production and ways to improve environmental outcomes.
Over 140 scientists, thought leaders, industry representatives, environmental regulators and policy experts from around the world gathered at Agriculture Victoria’s Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, at LaTrobe University, to attend a symposium exploring the changing nature of animal production systems.
Agriculture Victoria hosted the two-day event which provided attendees the opportunity to meet and learn from a wide range of global experts.
Speakers covered topics that centred around the theme of improving environmental outcomes for intensive animal industries. Subject areas explored included the changing nature of animal production systems around the world, managing atmospheric and water quality impacts, getting better value from manure and developing effective policy instruments and regulation based on cutting edge scientific research.
Each of Victoria’s major livestock industries – dairy, beef cattle, poultry, pig, and sheep – play a critical role in providing a livelihood for thousands of Victorian farmers. Animal industries employ around 52,000 people in regional Victoria, on-farm and in processing.
The sector is vital to the regional economy and contributes around 60 per cent ($7.6 billion) of Victoria's total value of agricultural production, and it's growing.
With the demand for protein growing globally, the event was an important opportunity to explore the intersection between science and policy in defining the best way forward to sustainably grow Victoria’s animal industries.
The symposium reflected Agriculture Victoria’s focus on driving economic development in a way that also protects the environment and long-term interests of all Victorians. The event is just one of the ways Agriculture Victoria recognises and supports innovation in the food and fibre industries; a fast-growing sector with huge potential for growth.
Visit Agriculture Victoria’s website for more details.
