Day 1 – Wednesday 8 November 2006

8:45-9:00 Welcome and Introduction – The Hon Gary Nairn MP, Special Minister of State

9:00-12:30 Session I - Future Prospects for Production Systems and the Environment in Australia

• The Australian Agro-environmental Nexus: Pressure and prospects: Professor Jeff Bennett, Australian National University

• Constraints, opportunities and risks for the Australian wheat industry: Dr Tony Fischer, South Asia Advisor, ACIAR

• Constraints, opportunities and risks for Australian grazing systems: Dr Andrew Vizard, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne

• Conserving plants in Australia's rural landscapes: Professor Mark Burgman, School of Botany, University of Melbourne

10:30-11:00 Morning tea

• Prospects for enhancing and protecting native systems in agricultural landscapes: Professor David Lindenmayer, Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Australian National University

• Australian Agriculture and climate change:  mitigation, adaptation and a carbon constrained future: Dr Michael Robinson, CEO of the former CRC for Greenhouse Accounting

• Improving agriculture's environmental credentials: capturing ecosystem services: Mr Jason Alexandra, Executive Director EarthWatch Institute (Australia)

• Environmental aspirations of agricultural industries: Mr Murray Jones, Chairman Grains Council of Australia, Mr Alan Umbers, Grains Council of Australia

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Session II - Conflicts, Trade-offs and Synergies

• The Murray-Darling Basin: conflicts and synergies in catchment management: Dr Wendy Craik, CEO Murray Darling Basin Commission

• Native vegetation management for conservation and production: Mr Len Banks, Executive Director, Science & Information, Department of Natural Resources, NSW

• Production vs biodiversity: linkages between environmental health and agriculture: Dr Mark Lonsdale, CSIRO Entomology, Dr Jeremy Burdon, CSIRO Plant Industry & Dr Brian Keating, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

• The conservation farming revolution: Professor Jim Pratley, School of Science and Agriculture, Charles Sturt University

3:00-3:30 Afternoon tea

3:30-5:00 Session III - Incentives and Disincentives to Progress

• Progress in environmental patronage and private lands conservation: Dr Carl Binning, CEO Greening Australia

• Australia's farm-dependent economy and farm sector demography: Mr Mick Keogh, Executive Director, Australian Farm Institute

• Values, incentives and institutions for enhanced environmental policy outcomes: Dr Steve Hatfield Dodds, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

• Policy directions for sustainable land use: Dr Charlie Zammit, Assistant Secretary, Land, Water & Coasts Division of Department of The Environment and Heritage

• Balancing production, conservation and NRM: socioeconomic considerations in policy design: Ms Helena Clayton & Professor David Pannell, School of Agricultural and Resource Economies, University of Western Australia

5:00-5:30 Wrap-up - From Propaganda to Practicalities

Led by Dr John Passioura, CSIRO Plant Industry & Dr Ted Lefroy, Director Centre for Environment, University of Tasmania

Conference Dinner

At Hudson's in the Gardens, The Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton on 8 November from 6.30pm for 7pm.

Guest speaker Mr John Kerin, AM ATSE Bookings essential

Day 2 – Thursday 9 November 2006

9:00-10:30 Session IV - Emerging Technologies for Integrated Management Solutions

• Innovative ways to address water balance issues: from paddock to landscape: Dr Richard Stirzaker & Dr Hamish Cresswell, CSIRO Land and Water

• Application of molecular biology to restoration and management of native vegetation: Dr Andrew Young, CSIRO Plant Industry

• Advances in large-scale revegetation technologies: Mr David Carr, National Technical Capacity Manager, Greening Australia

• Computer assisted farm and farm environment management: Dr Andrew Moore, CSIRO Plant Industry & Dr Mike Robertson, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

• Auctions for stewardship payments: making the most of a diverse market: Mr David Parkes, Biodiversity and Natural Resources Division, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria

• Precision agriculture approaches : Professor Alex McBratney, Director Australian Centre for Precision Agriculture, Sydney University

10:45-11:15 Morning tea

11:00-12:30 Session V - The Process of Innovation and Integration

• Environmental and farm management systems: Dr Anna Ridley, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria & Geoff Park, North Central CMA

• Innovation via self-organised farmer groups: Mr Ian McClelland, Chairman Birchip Cropping Group

• Innovation in the RD&E institutions that support Australian agriculture: Mr Andrew Campbell, Executive Director, Land & Water Australia

• The Need for more diverse innovation systems: Mr Tony Gleeson, Director Synapse Research & Consulting

12:45-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:30 Conference Wrap-up: Where do we want to be?

• Looking into the future: alternative scenarios: Dr Michael Dunlop, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

• Innovative farming practitioners perspective: Dr David Sackett, Holmes, Sackett & Associates, Wagga Wagga

• Innovative environmental practitioner's perspective: Mr Martin Driver, Murray Catchment Management Authority

• Can we balance environmental and agricultural imperatives?: Dr Ted Lefroy, Director Centre for Environment, University of Tasmania & Dr John Passioura, CSIRO Plant Industry

• Panel discussion and final wrap up moderated by Michael MacKenzie, ABC Bush Telegraph