The 2025 AgriFutures Stakeholder Summit was the largest and most ambitious yet, tripling in scale and relocating to Canberra for a week of powerful connection and collaboration among Australia’s leading and emerging voices in agriculture.
Held last month in Canberra, the Summit brought together more than 150 participants from across the country, including Horizon Scholars, AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award (RWA) 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 was the National Hackathon, where cross-disciplinary teams of past and present Horizon Scholars worked 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 brought 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.
The program included 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 was followed by a morning tea connecting Scholars, RWA Finalists, and AgriFutures Levied and Emerging Industries with parliamentarians and senior public servants.
As Cathy McGowan explained, the panel, and the Summit as a whole, was about bringing together the people who were 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 featured industry leaders past and present, including Jory Kitsch (Flux Robotics), Tanya Egerton (RWA 2024 National Winner and Op Shop Project) and Dr Mary Wu (Chicken Meat Federation). Together, they reflected on how courage, collaboration and innovation shifted systems and unlocked opportunity.
Dr Mary Cole, Victorian finalist for the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, attended the Summit and reflected on the unique gathering.
“It was the first time the Rural Women’s Award state finalists, summit for new and emerging industries and the Horizon scholars were all together and interactive for the week,” the Garfield resident said.
“The horizon scholars are young leaders in their fields in university still studying some aspect of agriculture. Brilliant young minds. The future of Australian agriculture will be in good hands.
“It was a very well organised but exhausting week. The Rural Women’s Award state finalists made their pitches for the National Award on Tuesday. The national winner will be announced at the gale dinner at Parliament House on October 28.”
Canberra media, policymakers, and sector leaders were encouraged to engage throughout the week to witness firsthand the leadership, innovation and impact forged across Australia’s rural industries.
