20 August 2014 Advancing Australian exports for mixed farmers A senior figure in the development of Australian exports to international emerging markets will deliver the keynote address at Future Proofing Mixed Farming Systems Forum at Wagga Wagga on Friday 22 August. Mr Grame Barty is General Manager of International Marketing and Emerging Growth Markets at the Australian Trade Commission or Austrade. He’ll address the Forum from 8.20am in the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Convention Centre in Wagga Wagga. The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation is organising the Forum as a ‘think tank’ on a 30 year vision for mixed farming systems. Centre Director Professor Deirdre Lemerle said, “We are delighted Grame Barty ‐ as a senior Austrade executive ‐ will be at our Forum. As we look to create a vision for future proofing mixed farming systems for the next 30 years, Mr Barty will speak about the agricultural export opportunities available and how Austrade will position Australia’s comparative advantage, capability and capacity in agriculture.” Among its responsibilities, Austrade is charged with helping Australian companies to grow their business in international markets and along with DFAT’s economic diplomacy initiative has developed a capability to identify and influence high value opportunities in new markets or to meet new market requirements and he will explain this. Mr Barty works with Trade Commissioners and local marketing staff to facilitate Australian exports to emerging markets including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Sub Sahara Africa, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Forum, which also includes tours of eastern and western Riverina industries on Thursday 21 August, will hear from eight industry leaders on Friday 22 August under three themes: ‘Creating a resilient mixed farming system’; ‘To value add or not to value add – that is the question’; and ‘Beyond the farm gate’. Read more here. For further information on the Future Proofing Mixed Farming Systems Forum, including its program, go here. For further details, interviews and photos please contact Toni Nugent, Industry Partnerships and Communications Manager, Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation on mobile 0418 974 775. ‐ends‐