Held from 20–24 July in Canberra, the Summit will bring together more than 150 participants from across the country, including AgriFutures Horizon Scholars, AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award (RWA) National Finalists, industry innovators, MPs/Ministers/Senators, research leaders and key representatives from AgriFutures Australia’s levied and emerging industries.

This is the first time these voices have come together in one place, working side-by-side as part of the Summit’s unique program to tackle some of the greatest challenges and opportunities for Australia’s rural industries.

AgriFutures General Manager, Workforce, Communications and Adoption, Jennifer Galloway, said this year’s Summit was deliberately positioned in Canberra to elevate the reach and influence of rural leadership.

“Canberra isn’t just a backdrop. It’s part of the design, placing young leaders and grassroots industries face-to-face with national decision-makers, departments and other Research and Development Corporations, Ms Galloway said.

“We’re creating opportunities for genuine engagement that leads to real outcomes.”

At the heart of the program is the National Hackathon, where cross-disciplinary teams of past and present Horizon Scholars work on urgent issues identified by AgriFutures Australia’s levied and emerging Industries, such as sharing the story of Australian agriculture to garner ongoing community support, climate-smart rice production and transforming poultry research careers.

AgriFutures General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries, Samantha Beresford, said the Summit would bring new collaboration opportunities.

“Our industries are grappling with real, complex issues. This Summit gives them a voice and a chance to work directly with emerging leaders who bring new thinking, energy and perspective,” Ms Beresford said.

A key moment of the week takes place at Parliament House, where participants will attend a morning tea alongside:

• The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Education and Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Adam Fennessy PSM, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• AgriFutures Chair Cathy McGowan AO and the AgriFutures Board of Directors
• Along with a further 40 MPs & Senators from across Australia.

The program includes a candid panel on systems change hosted by Ms McGowan, featuring Troy Williams, CEO of the National Farmers’ Federation, and Senator Susan McDonald, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.

This will be followed by a morning tea connecting Scholars, RWA Finalists, and AgriFutures Levied and Emerging Industries with parliamentarians and senior public servants.

As Cathy McGowan explains, the panel, and the Summit as a whole, is about bringing together the people who are making things happen in agriculture.

“It’s not just about ideas; it’s about action. By connecting researchers, industry leaders, policy makers and emerging voices, we’re creating space for real conversations that lead to change,” Ms McGowan said.

“It’s a reminder that regional and rural Australia is full of solutions and when we work together, the impact is national.”

The Summit’s Stakeholder Showcase Dinner will feature industry leaders past and present, including Jordy Kitsch (2019 evokeAG Future Young Leader and Founder of Flux Robotics), Tanya Egerton (2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner and Founder of the Remote Op Shop Project) and Dr Mary Wu (CEO of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation). Together, they will reflect on how courage, collaboration and innovation can shift systems and unlock opportunity.

Canberra media, policymakers, and sector leaders are encouraged to engage throughout the week to witness firsthand the leadership, innovation and impact being forged across Australia’s rural industries.

ENDS