Wairarapa farmer Shane McManaway will next week host more than 100 of Australasia's leading agri-professionals at the 2013 Platinum Primary Producers' (PPP) Group annual conference in Australia, while Masterton's Catriona Williams will be one of the keynote speakers.
Mr McManaway came up with the idea of bringing together a number of agriculture industry leaders seven years ago at the kitchen bench on his Matarawa deer and beef farm. He said the idea was to create a forum where the farming issues of the day could be discussed openly and honestly and where experience and knowledge could be shared.
There were 20 attendees at the first conference in 2006. However the event has grown significantly since then with more than 100 people expected to attend this year.
Mr McManaway said the event was becoming one of the most popular Australasian rural events of the year.
"This event has gone from strength to strength. It is now regarded as a great networking function with the who's who of agriculture attending. It brings together a highly influential group of farmers, businessmen, politicians and key decision-makers from across the agricultural landscapes of both New Zealand and Australia.
