News

QCONZ at Red Meat Sector Conference 2024

Date: July 30, 2024

QCONZ had the opportunity to engage with industry representatives at the Red Meat Sector Conference in Wellington in July. This year, our team participated in the conference under the theme “From our Pasture to your Plate,” highlighting our ongoing involvement in the industry.

Welcome Cocktail Event Sponsorship

QCONZ was proud to sponsor the welcome cocktail event, which marked the beginning of the conference. CEO Chris Leach took the opportunity to welcome delegates and acknowledge the support from the New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated (NZFAI) and its member companies. This support has been instrumental during our first year of delivering NZ Farm Assurance programmes.

Chris noted, “This year’s conference is an important opportunity to reflect on the Red Meat sector, and we are committed to supporting the industry in telling its story.”

Conference Highlights

The conference agenda featured sessions on a wide range of topics, including global trade and local farmer insights. The event concluded with the Maersk Gala dinner at the Takina Convention Centre, which included pre-dinner drinks and addresses from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister of Finance Hon. Nicola Willis. The keynote address was delivered by Chef Dale Bowie, founder of The Development Kitchen.

QCONZ executives, including CEO Chris Leach, COO Joshua Wheeler, GM Programmes Craig Allen, and NZFAI Programme Manager Bonnie Watt, attended the dinner. The event provided a chance to engage with stakeholders from across the Red Meat sector and discuss the industry’s future direction.

Looking Ahead

“We extend our appreciation to the MIA and Beef and Lamb for organizing this conference,” said Chris Leach. “We look forward to participating again next year in Christchurch.”

QCONZ remains dedicated to supporting the Red Meat sector through continued collaboration and quality assurance initiatives.

Other news

Here at QCONZ, we’re excited to share some news about Eggs!

Fieldays 2024 was a fantastic opportunity to present our FreshWater Farm Plan (FWFP) tool and reconnect with our clients and wider industry stakeholders.

After an impressive 25-year’s, Murray Pedley, QCONZ’s Major Shareholder, Director, former Board Chair and CEO, has retired.

Murray had the privilege of attending the New Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s annual conference and AGM in Christchurch in May.

Justin Moss and Josh Wheeler from QCONZ took a trip to Parliament in May to meet with Hon. Andrew Hoggard to discuss Freshwater Farm Plans (FWFPs). We were excited to share our learnings from the past few years.

Big news for New Zealand farmers! QCONZ is excited to share our new FreshWater Farm Plan Tool. It’s a digital helper that makes it easy for farmers to create their freshwater farm plans quickly.

In late October Chris Leach led an MPI dairy development training programme for farmers and extension officers in Pak Chong, Thailand. Pak Chong is the central region of Thailand, approximately a 2 ½ hour drive north of Bangkok, and is at the centre of the developing Thai Dairy Industry. 

We were thrilled to be a major sponsor of the New Zealand Association of Resource Management (NZARM) conference held in Christchurch in October.

We flew the QCONZ flag again this year at the annual Red Meat Sector Conference, jointly hosted by the Meat Industry Association and Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd.

As of 1 October, the QCONZ team will be delivering audits for the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP). We have been working hard behind the scenes to get systems and processes in place, and from August farmers can expect to start hearing from us regarding audit bookings.