Professor Gary D. Jolliff, one of the world`s leading new crop experts, will be visiting The University of Queensland`s Gatton campus in September.
Professor Jolliff will address the Second Australian New Crops Conference on the topic Innovation and New Crop Enterprise Development on Wednesday, September 22.
The conference runs from September 22 to 24 and Professor Jolliff will also be participating in a number of pre-conference workshops associated from on September 20 and 21.
Professor Jolliff is one of several new crop experts from the US, South Africa, Australia and several other countries participating in the conference, under the banner of Innovation and change for agriculture and horticulture.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Australian primary producers, rural entrepreneurs and all those interested in new crops to hear about the latest developments in new crops and discuss their own specific new crops difficulties with experts with a wide range of experience,” Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee, Dr Rob Fletcher, said.
"Professor Jolliff has not only spent the last 26 years working in new crop commercialisation in the US but he has also been recognised throughout the world as the foremost expert on new crop policy and history."
“If we don`t learn from our mistakes with new crop development in the past, we miss out on the significant benefits and opportunities from a more diversified agricultural base,” Professor Jolliff said recently.
Professor Jolliff has appeared as an expert witness at several US Senate hearings in the past and has been particularly critical of the manner in which so many obstacles are placed in the path of new crop developers by governments and other well-meaning institutions.
One of his greatest concerns at present is the manner in which "free-loaders" can come in late to the process of new crop commercialisation and hijack the payoffs that new crop pioneers and risk-takers expect to reap from their years of struggle.
“New crop commercialisation is about people, the way in which they cooperate and their approach to risk,” Professor Jolliff said.
Major sponsors of the conference include the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
For more information, contact Sally Brown (phone 07 3201 2808 or email sally.brown@uq.net.au); Rob Fletcher (phone 0401715717 or email r.fletcher@uq.edu.au) or Murray Hansen (phone 02 6272 4735 or 0422 996 525) or visit the conference website: www.newcrops.uq.edu.au/nc2004/
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